Beats

When Scottish authorities decide to ban raves in the 1990s, teenage mates Johnno and Spanner find themselves in the midst of a political and youthful rebellion. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994 was meant, amongst other things, to ban rave culture and social gatherings based around music with «repetitive beats». As one might have expected, the ban led to protests and opposition, including what took place around Johnno and Spanner. Beats uses this historical backdrop to tell a story about friendship and belonging, class struggles, and of growing up. It takes you inside of a young and intense community which fights for what it believes in.

The film combines elegant black and white cinematography with mesmerising music in order to create a believable and engaging image of youth in revolt. At times it feels almost documentarian, in all of its youthful vigour and spontaneity. The cast mainly consists of unknown actors, and in particular the two young leads are quite brilliant. The pair of actors will barely have been born in the time the story plays out, but still seem completely at home in the fashion, community, music, and lingo of the time. Especially the party scenes are exciting and creative in their execution; director Brian Welsh’s background as a documentary editor really comes into play.