1 Day Movie

Impressive aerial views of the city are intermingled with chase scenes through the Bullring Shopping Centre, rival gangs on street corners, class A drugs and violent scenes of gun crime. . . Just another 1 day in Birmingham! – Well that’s what the film portrays. 1 Day is about 2 crews, 1 city over 24 hours . . . Of course the movie has been dramatised – It’s a movie!! But we ask what all the hype is about and whether it’s justified! Supatrax hasn’t seen the movie yet, but we look at the reactions so far. 

How real is this film? Do things like this really happen or is the movie glamorising street politics? People have asked whether the film encourages young people to join gangs and use guns? With this being said – Is it right that all Birmingham cinemas have decided to ban?

The basic plot is Dylan Duffus, who stars as Flash, a low-level drug dealer gets a shock when his boss Angel (Yohance Watson) gets out of jail early and demands the return of the £500,000 that Flash had been holding for him for safe-keeping.

Unfortunately, Flash is £100,000 short, so Angel gives him just 24 hours to come up with the full amount, largely because his own superiors are pressuring him for the money. With the clock ticking, Flash finds himself pursued by the police, a rival gang, his three baby-mothers (Justice, Lady L and Natasha Holness) and his feisty Nan (Monica French), though help is at hand in the form of young streetwise sidekick Pest (Ohran Whyte).

Shot on location in and around Handsworth, the film’s entire cast of actors are all from the local streets. Nearly 300 people from the community auditioned during 3 days of open casting. Local talented singers, music producers and actors were picked for the parts in front and behind the camera.

Screen West Midlands helped to fund 1 Day and played an active role throughout the entire production process. The regional funding organisation has also received strong criticism for using public money to fund a film that some say promotes gun crime and gang violence.

Screen West Midlands Executive Producer Lee Thomas feels very strongly that the film doesn’t promote gun crime.

“What we’ve done is tap into a deep vein of talent in the region and told a story that will attract an audience of a younger generation that may be tempted into that kind of lifestyle and actually see that it leads nowhere.”

There is a very mixed reaction to the movie, on road people are saying it’s sick! and it’s too real, dat’s why those in authority are sayin it should be banned! Below is a link to West Midlands Police’s reaction to the movie: