Navy

Directed by Duaine Carma Roberts

2021

Carma Films

“You can be anyone you wanted to be”.

Navy is a new feature that comes courtesy of West Midlands filmmaker Duaine Roberts which explores the very different difficulties of both the music business and the criminal business.

Emiko plays Mason, a talented young man who is nervous about laying down some new tracks but soon he crosses paths with his old friend Iris (Ophelia J. Wisdom) who is currently on tour with her own music.

Also in Mason’s life is his brother Asher (Ackeem Gibbs) and together they both worry about money, but more importantly their main concern is their own poorly mother.

In addition, Iris has her own doubts about her album as well as missing her family but is reminded that her tour venues have sold out by her curt manager Damian (Tee Morris).

Roberts shoots his film mostly on handheld camera which adds realism and for a film about the music industry it helps to have great range of music which is does from acoustic ballads to harder-hitting R'n'B tracks.

Navy is shot in Birmingham, and viewers will recognise canals and archways, helped by the director dropping in a few drone shots. The swift editing combined with these multiple locations mean each scene builds upon the last and gives the film the variety that a feature needs to succeed.

Parallel to the music story is Asher’s involvement in a crime gang run by mob boss Jax (Caroline Oakes). Whilst Mason’s life is headed into more positive territory as he is asked to go on Iris’ tour and celebrates at a house party, Asher is getting into the violent repercussions of drugs, gangs and weapons.

As Asher falls deeper in trouble, Iris and Mason’s friendship blossoms into something more as both their careers push forward with public media interviews but so does their relationship in their private personal moments. These gentler scenes are contrasted well with Asher’s complex situation. Asher wants out of his past but owes a debt to the gang leader – who only promises to let him off if he does one more job. Could it be his last?

Well, these story strands are balanced nicely in Navy and the characters are clearly defined and fantastically acted by the whole cast. A couple of rough edges mainly focus around the cinematography/framing but doesn’t distract from the overall film.

And the notion of family is consistently the centre of the film – be it a business family, blood relative or a crime family. As their mother gets more ill and music manager Damian’s own problems with his artist and daughter begin to build, the film ramps up the conflict as it goes.

A few flashbacks to the brothers’ younger life again add authenticity and relates the modern tale to past circumstances. And the conflict between all characters soon explodes into threats and more. And these are played out by solid turns from the support cast including Shaneigha-Monik Greyson, Benjamin Haycock and Relley C. as well as many others.

Navy continues to show Asher’s reluctance to get any further involved in the gang’s shady practices and there are glimmers of hope when his individual good deeds overcome the group's horrid acts.

“This music is where I find my soul, the place that I call home”

The film also shows that no matter how difficult life can be, music can be seen as a force to bring people together. In the film it connects people of different ages and backgrounds. Narratively, the music sequences don't slow the story down and occur mostly in natural moments - although an elongated forest singing section felt a bit dragged out to me.

The talented director also makes a cameo as a guitar player, which helps seal the film’s solid music credentials. As someone who has also been in bands, the push and pull of life vs career and the studio/jamming scenes felt all very relatable and real.

Culminating in double-crossing, violence, gun crime and even potential suicide, Navy doesn’t hold back on the many themes it wishes to tackle. But despite those intense scenes there is a sense of positivity towards its conclusion where people make amends with each other across generations.

The film acts as a warning against the bloody consequences of rash decisions and ends with some much needed hope after the tough ride it takes its audience on.

In the end, Navy proposes alternative ways out of tough situations. Although music is one opportunity proposed here, the more general theme that positivity through family and creative endeavours can actually change one’s individual life for the better (and in turn for family and those around us) is well portrayed in an engrossing and thoughtful music drama.

Michael Sales