BFI Flare – Review: Sweetheart (2021)

We all remember the difficulties of being 17, trying to find our place in the world, while also shedding childish things.  The fact remains though, that at that age you’re not quite an adult, but so much of the adult world impacts or surrounds you.  It’s into this grey area that Marley Morrison’s debut feature ‘Sweetheart’ steps, putting its awkward central character through that painful British experience, the ‘seaside family holiday’.

There is a moment in every teenager’s life where the annual holiday with the whole family stops being the fun adventure it once was and begins to feel like a punishment.  The joys of holiday park activities and cheesy entertainment seem like the worst thing in the world and all you want to do is anything else.  For April (Nell Barlow – Behind Her Eyes), who now wants to be called AJ, this is especially true.

Wrapped up in her jeans and loose t-shirt, while hiding behind shades and a bucket hat, AJ feels truly out of place.  From the first second you hear her mother Tina (Jo Hartley – This Is England, Eddie the Eagle) call out “oooh! Cows!” you know AJ is not feeling this quintessentially British family moment.  Along with her on this holiday is her younger sister Dayna (Tabitha Byron), her older pregnant sister Lucy (Sophia Di Martino – Flowers, Loki) and her sister’s fiancé Steve (Samuel Anderson – Another Life). This is not exactly her dream scenario, and AJ is convinced it is going to be horrific.

Determined that this holiday be a fun escape for the family, and to cover up the distress of the split from her husband, Tina has gone overboard in worrying about its success. This has sent her and Lucy into periods of nagging AJ, and it’s only some occasional interventions from Steve that defuses the tension in the caravan. On the receiving end, AJ is full of teenage petulance and reacts badly to any of the essentially well meaning actions of her beleaguered mother.

Despite the conflict, this pressure to have a successful holiday and have it fit some kind of ideal continues to reveal itself, with Tina and Lucy trying to control how AJ dresses and expresses herself while at the caravan park. If they had their way, AJ would be out in strappy tops and bikinis sunbathing, and we see that they even went as far as repacking her bags without her knowledge. Many will sympathise with AJ’s anguished cry of “where’s my Dead Jesus T-shirt?” and her horror at what has been packed for her.

It’s an uncomfortable situation all round, and the absence of her father on the holiday doesn’t help as it is a poignant reminder of how things have changed. Her phone calls pleading him to come and save her go unanswered as well, fuelling her loneliness and despair. This is an interesting side of ‘Sweetheart’, which along with some scenes with her mother later, highlights the difficulties they are all facing. Despite the bickering, there is clearly a strong connection between Tina and AJ, but pain, teenage angst, and stubbornness prevents them opening up to each other. Less well covered, but equally there, is a strained, but solid bond between the sisters, which has similar problems. With her father though, things are a lot less certain.

Into this emotionally charged environment walks Isla (Ella-Rae Smith – The Stranger, Into the Badlands, 2:Hrs), a beguiling lifeguard who works at the holiday park. When AJ first talks to Isla, it is uncomfortable, with Barlow delivering layers of shy and sullen insecurity. To AJ’s surprise, Isla seems genuinely interested in her, and invites her to join her friends for an after-hours party, with no judgement. This is a lifeline for AJ, and a chance to get away from the family, but it is also an awkward and clumsy situation where she feels out of her depth. She also seems unsure of whether the flirtation from Isla is real, as in her mind women this attractive must be straight, leading to confusion and self-doubt.

From here, AJ and Isla embark on a relationship that is unbalanced at times and is extremely messy, as you’d expect. Both Isla and AJ are inexperienced, albeit in different ways, and are both trying to cover up their insecurities as they grapple with the complex nature of their own identities.

As its story unfolds, ‘Sweetheart’ is a fantastic and humorous look at the embarrassing, turbulent maelstrom of teenage emotions, but also with a truth that grounds it.  What’s great here too is that their sexuality is never shamed or used as something to attack them with.  They are who they are, with the exploration happening both between them, and within themselves, as they try to figure it all out.  ‘Sweetheart’ handles this exploration exceptionally well, and it treats all its characters with respect, making everything feel natural and authentic.

All of that is helped by great central performances by Barlow and Smith, who bring a tender vulnerability alongside the occasional bravado of teenagers.  At no point does this ever descend into a pastiche and any emotional outbursts or petulance are always in keeping with the drama.  With these two strong leads, and another impressive turn from Hartley, who imbues Tina with a type of fracturing stoicism, ‘Sweetheart’ has at its core actors that push this film a cut above.

While it is true that we’ve seen similar themes before, and there are some parts of the plot which are either a little formulaic or could be considered contrived, these are mostly small complaints in the face of what is a wonderfully heart-warming, funny film.  As it is also a first feature, it definitely feels that there is a lot more to come from the impressive Morrison, and it will be interesting to see what she does next.  Hopefully, it will be as skilfully adept at hitting the nail on the head, and as full of wit and charm as ‘Sweetheart’.

Sweetheart is showing as part of the BFI Flare Film Festival which continues until 28th March.