The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Urban Hymn, a new film by Michael Caton-Jones, explores depths in London-based youth delinquents that are seldom discussed. Following Jamie, a troubled teenager, she has multiple run ins with the law. She bunks with other troubled kids and feels the need to cause trouble and harm for no true cause other than to live for the moment. But she meets Kate, a social worker, who challenges Jamie to transform herself and abandon her abrasive attitude and make something of herself. This is not a clean act as temptations in the form of possessive friend, Leanne, keeps Jamie in check and fears for being abandoned. Regardless, Kate is determined to show Jamie that she has true potential that can really take her to better places. It's a feel good movie that focuses on character and amazingly, these actors keep the momentum moving and the film more engrossing. It's well paced and sensitively directed. The music is enlightening and pivotal to the story. Wonderfully true to life, film lovers will discover that Urban Hymn really gives character study a good name!

What a breathtaking film! Urban Hymn is a powerful and heart-wrenching story of an inner-city teenager named Jamie Harrison, broken from her harrowing journey thus far. Jamie discovers her purpose in life through the grace and generosity of social worker Kate Linton, as she leads Jamie toward the power of music. Jamie then reveals to have a stunning voice that astonishes all who have only known her for pillaging and being an overall miscreant. Her troubled past life seems to get in the way of her newfound hope for a better life for herself, namely her degenerate best friend Leanne whose selfish attempts to keep Jamie from following her dream results in a shocking twist at the end of the film. From a cinematographic standpoint, the aesthetic of the multiple shots of Kate running through the park in London on a cloudy day matches the tone of film so perfectly. I think the thing that really makes this film stand out is its actors' incredible performances. They are so transparent and passionate; the story itself is such a classic turnaround coming of age story, but it is so beautifully and organically illustrated through these unique characters. This thrilling and complex film is definitely a must-see!

With quiet grace, Urban Hymn steps forth onto the stage, a single spotlight pierces the darkness, a pinprick of sound in a void, we wait. This entire film is waiting, with bated breath and hardened limbs, we wait. We wait for our wispy protagonist (Shirley Henderson) to connect with her troubled teen charge (Letitia Wright). We wait for this troubled teen to step out from her shadows and brave the light, we wait. This film gains traction as it moves, it relishes in the evolution of its characters, and celebrates their triumphs. Director Michael Caton Jones celebrates the individual in this film, which is exactly what saves it from the all too familiar pitfalls of its genre. Following the well worn path of past coming of age stories, Jones breathes new life to this emotional journey with his brilliant cast. Shirley Henderson becomes social worker Kate Linton, a grieving mother struggling to let go of her murdered son. Henderson plays this part beautifully, equal parts confident and hesitant, never overplaying either, she finds a delicate balance within her character. New to the screen Letitia Wright, too talented to believe this is her first feature lead role, lends her trembling, soprano voice to the film. Wright manages to be both brash and vulnerable within the same breath, a skill that lends itself well to his film. Outside of the dangerous dichotomy between Kate and Jamie Harrison, London looms, and it has never looked so beautiful. Cinematographer Dennis Crossan creates a world from a pallet of muted tones, careful faded pastels juxtaposed with warm gashes of golden light. Crossan keeps the camera tight on our characters, and the claustrophobic nature of the film fails to lift except in a few moments of unbridled freedom. It is for these moments that we wait, we wait for our happy ending, for our characters to find themselves. Sometimes we wait for nothing, but in this movie the wait is worth it.

Jamie is alone in the World except for her best mate Leanne (who is a sort of South London hard nut) and they have gotten on the wrong side of the tracks. This is against the backdrop of the riots in London of 2011 which they took advantage of.Anyway they are in a Council run care home when a new social worker turns up who is determined to make a difference and then sees music as a possible way to reach out to Jamie to save/help her.Now a lot of these themes have been used before – falling in with the wrong crowd, nurture versus nature and the idea that all the 'kids' need to find their way out of the gutter is one piece of inspiration; whether it be baseball, rap music or macramé. But this seems to do it with a fresh twist and the music is all great too.Do not expect anything too 'gritty' either this is all a bit sanitised but it still has enough of an 'edge' to make it pack a punch albeit not a 'sucker' one.