MY BROTHER THE DEVIL

UK, 2012, 111 minutes, Colour.
James Floyd, Fady Elsayed, Said Taghmaoui.
Directed by Sally El Hosaini.

Writer-director, Sally el Hosaini, has an Egyptian father and a Welsh mother. She draws on both heritages in this film. Set in London, it features an Egyptian family, long since in England. Father is with London Transport, mother is a home-maker. There are two sons, Rashid (James Floyd) and Mo (Fady Elsayed). Rash is older and has been involved in local gangs and drug deliveries with relations and peers. However, he is wanting to move out. Mo has just finished school and is ripe for being caught up in the same gang work, despite being robbed and then witnessing a murder in the street.

So far, so familiar, although the director gives a lot more attention than in other similar films to characters and atmosphere. Rash boxes, sees a girlfriend. Mo like literature, meets up with a nice Nigerian girl, idealises Rash.

When Rash takes on a job as an assistant photographer to Sayyid (Said Taghmaghoui), things begin to change – as expected for Mo who sets out on a downhill path, not as expected for Rash who has to come to deeper terms of his identity than he knew about. Mo is even more upset at Rash and his behaviour after he spies on him and then spreads rumours that he is a terrorist.

There is an inevitable violent clash but it is cathartic for Rash and for his relationship with Mo who has to move to greater understanding and tolerance.

1. The director, Egyptian and Welsh background? The two heritages manifest in the film?

2. The generations who had come from Egypt? The generations born in the UK? The differences?

3. The Hackney settings, ordinary East London, homes? The drug world? The streets, robberies, killings? Recreation areas? Socials and photos? Suburban London? Familiar themes, new?

4. The introduction to the brothers, Rash, older, boxing, tough, care for Mo, meeting him at school, Mo’s results, part failure? At home, Rash putting the cash in his mother’s purse? The parents, the father and his work on the buses, the mother at home? Meals? Prospects?

5. The gang culture, drugs, relatives, peers and pressure? Moral issues? Guns? Stealing? Revenge? The murder of the dog, the retaliatory murder in the streets? The bosses and their hold, the younger men wanting to join, the older wanting to get out?

6. Rash, his relationship with the girlfriend, his meeting Sayyid, the job, going to the socials, the photography, the kiss and his being upset? Meeting his girlfriend, forcing himself? His return to Sayyid? Their relationship, Mo following, surprised and disgusted, Rash absent from the film?

7. The gangs, the men, Mo and his being robbed, the young man with the runners, the killing of the dog, the murder in the street?

8. Mo, upset, with Rash’s girlfriend, the kiss, her reaction? The girl from Nigeria and the strong friendship, the white friend? Mo spreading the idea of Rash and terrorism? Not coping? Drug-carrying, the group, his being accepted, the deliveries? Telling the girl about terrorism?

9. Rash’s return, the truth, his anger, wanting to fix the situation, fight Demon, the confrontations?

10. Mo, the group, the leader, the guns, Rash and Sayyid (and Sayyid’s brothers in jail as gangsters)?

11. The shootout, hospital, Mo and his injury, Rashid and Sayyid, the parents, the mother accepting Rash? The father not?

12. The future for the two men – in their work, in relationships? A slice of London life?