Getting Out
As Prime Minister Michael Manley (Roger Guenveur Smith) of the PNP party speaks about unity, equality and the removal of class divisions his speech is interrupted by a gang from the opposing JLP who use weapons to cause issues. One of those involved in this trouble is single father Ricky (Sheldon Shepard) who is finding it hard to provide for his child in the political climate. Unfortunately his alliance with the JLP gangs leads to him being unable to get legitimate work whilst having to face gang trouble every day as the gangs who work for the PNP make life hell. Having had enough of life in Kingston Ricky decides his best hope is to take his child and girlfriend Kemala (Sky Nicole Grey) away from it all.
As a movie fan I like to challenge myself by watching movies outside of my comfort zone and area of knowledge which is how I came to watch "Better Mus' Come" about the troubled times in Jamaica during the 70s, a period I know nothing about. And writer/director Storm Saulter delivers this effective drama about the time told mainly from the perspective of Ricky as he has to deal with the struggle to provide for his daughter whilst also the repercussions of being involved in the political gang troubles from unable to find work to physical attacks. In fact the look which Saulter gives is the movie's strength because it is a nicely crafted movie which helps to draw those with no knowledge of the actual period in to what is going on.
But the flip side of this that "Better Mus' Come" does have one of those incredibly familiar storylines where a person's choices to be involved in a gang not only end up causing him problems on a day to day basis but also when he decides it is time to get away from this life. It seems every few years a movie is made which tells the same story but in a different location be it the gang troubles in South America to getting out of the football violence of gangs in London. And as such for all of the crafting which goes in to the movie you can't but help know where it is going.
What this all boils down to is that "Better Mus' Come" is a well made movie which draws you in to what is going on but at the same time it tells a familiar story which has been told many a time but in different locations.
