Pretty Red Dress

So who wants to see a film starring Alexandra Burke, singing Tina Turner songs? Not you? Well, think again! "'Pretty Red Dress' is a debut feature starring a one-time X Factor winner so, you know, kill me now. But it's a thin week and I'll cut it some slack and be kind, like it says on the T-shirts. That was my thinking, because, as is now obvious, I can be a patronising fool. This is a terrific film. It's original, has heft, is magnificently performed, and it blew me away" - Deborah Ross, The Spectator.

Convinced yet? Well if I go on to say it also stars another magnificent newcomer - Natey Jones - playing the tough, just-released from-prison, South London drug dealer, who just happens to have a thing for wearing women's dresses, and that their teenage daughter, Kenisha (played by Temilola Olatunbosun, also to great reviews) has problems of her own, you might begin to see that this could be a film well worth your time.

The film is written and directed by relative newcomer Dionne Edwards who was named as one of Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow in 2019 ; one to look out for? "Edwards's film plays a lot with stereotypical conventions surrounding gender expectations. It's a bold commentary on the many roles we play to fit in with society whilst learning to be comfortable in our own skin. Both Jones and Burke give stellar performances. Jones' tormented portrayal contrasts beautifully with Burke's strong-willed Candice, who yearns to escape her low paid job for a glimmer of stardom. As secrets unravel, their emotional conflict translates into a fascinating look into dominance and vulnerability" - Kelechi Ehenulo, Empire.

As Tina Turner herself might well have said, "You're simply the best"...