London River (Rachid Bouchareb, 2009): UK/France/Algeria

Reviewed by Dru Radovich. Viewed at the Chinese Mann Theater 6, AFI Film Festival. 

London River is the story of two strangers differing in gender, culture, race, and their unexpected friendship that blossom between the two. The film takes the audience through the heart-wrenching mission to find their children, who have been missing since terrorist attacks in London and they discover that their children have been living together romantically. Viewers are constantly in suspense, as they are not given any more information that the characters are already aware of. The unlikely platonic pair becomes practically inseparable as their detective work brings out their similarities in their hobbies and more. The once prejudice mother faces her fears and finally sees eye-to-eye with the father. No matter the color of their skin, they realize that their morals and motives are not as different as they thought. The film breaks many stereotypes and is a moving journey through the struggles of prejudice. The mother learns to grasp the fact that the most pure connection to her daughter is her connection with the father of her daughter’s lover.  Not a person can view this film without wanting to evaluate their life and morals. London River is exciting yet touching film.