That it’s hard to grow up in a poor neighbourhood is something which we’ve seen in many movies throughout the years. The recent Oscar winner Moonlight is a good example of this, but usually these type of films have the same storylines. Because of that you can usually see what’s going to happen from a mile away. Is this Netflix-exclusive an exception?
John Boyega (who most people will know from Star Wars The Force awakens) is Bambi, a guy who has just left prison and returns to his neighbourhood. A world with a lot of opportunities, but where most of them are usually illegal. His uncle Shrimp proposes that he should drive a drug-filled car to another state, but Bambi wants to stay on the right path, however difficult that is. His mother is a drug addict, his girlfriend is in jail and he’s the only one who can take care of his son. He quickly finds out that it’s hard to get a legitimate job, because he doesn’t have a driver’s license, no money to buy the necessary documents and also has to pay alimony simply because the system is set up that way. His uncle no longer allows him to stay in his house and because of that he is forced to start living in his broken down car with his son. When one of his friends is trying to hide from a local gang Bambi’s situation seem to be hopeless.
So in short Imperial Dreams tells a story you have probably seen before. You’ll know what’s going to happen very soon, so it has no surprises. Still the acting of the cast makes this a movie that’s not horrible to watch, but secretly you’ll hope for more which it never delivers.
