Kicks (2008)

50% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
27% of users liked it
(98 ratings)

Two teenagers want to take a shortcut to fame and wealth in this comedy-drama from England. Nicole (Kerrie Hayes) is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Liverpool who has practically become a stranger to her family; her parents have divorced, with her father remarrying and spending most of his time… More Two teenagers want to take a shortcut to fame and wealth in this comedy-drama from England. Nicole (Kerrie Hayes) is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Liverpool who has practically become a stranger to her family; her parents have divorced, with her father remarrying and spending most of his time with his new children, while her mother works nights and rarely gets home while her daughter is still there. Nicole is fascinated with soccer, particularly Lee Cassidy (Jamie Doyle), the handsome midfielder with Liverpool's team. Nicole spends as much time as she can at the stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of her idol, and she meets fellow fan Jasmine (Nichola Burley), who is more attractive and confident and comes from a well-to-do family, but also shares Nicole's fascination with Cassidy and suffers from a similarly distant relationship with her parents. Nicole and Jasmine strike up a friendship and share their obsession with Cassidy as well as their desire to win the heart of a football star and enjoy their own level of fame as a wife or girlfriend. However, reality intrudes on their dreams when they learn that Cassidy is being traded to a team in Madrid, and Nicole and Jasmine hatch a scheme to prevent him from leaving England. Kicks was the first feature film from director Lindy Heymann. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Lindy Heymann
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Dec 31, 2009 Wide
Studio: BBC Films

Critic Reviews

Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
It's an intriguing idea, but the film is too timid and awkward to really get going
Anton Bitel, Film4
All at once a sensitive coming-of-age drama, a mildly implausible abduction thriller and a bittersweet love letter to Liverpool, Heymann's film plays like This Is England for the celebrity-obsessed Noughties.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
The initial stages of this film -- just hanging out with Nicole and Jasmine -- are considerably more interesting than the rather strained denouement.
David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]
Look for your kicks elsewhere.
Laurence Boyce, Little White Lies
It doesn't quite sustain itself all the way through, but Kicks displays an intelligence and verve that are hard to deny.
Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph
It's a promising feature debut...
Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
The film moves in and out of credibility as if on a dimmer switch, but Hayes and Burley give it the wattage they have.
Robbie Collin, News of the World
The film disappoints because, just like Lee's young kidnappers, once the set-up's out of the way, it has no idea what to do next.
David Parkinson, Radio Times
Fatally undermined by the implausibility of the situation and the banal dénouement's disappointing lack of drama.
Dave Calhoun, Time Out
What's most alluring, though, on an intimate scale, is how far Heymann tries to tell her story not through talk but through physical observation and music (even if she relies on a lot of Ladytron).
Anna Smith, Empire Magazine
Engaging and witty tale of girlie bonding let down by a clunky third act.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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