Tori and Lokita (2022)

Pablo Schils ("Tori") is really strong in this story of a young boy and his sister "Lokita" (Joely Mbundu) who have migrated from Africa to Belgium, with the latter trying to obtain the necessary papers to stay. "Tori" has been deemed a legitimate refugee on the grounds that he may well be persecuted as the child of a sorcerer back home, but she is struggling to prove that they are actually related as he was taken to an orphanage at a young age. She acts very much as the boy's confidante, mother, sister and carer - encouraging him to study at school, whilst both work for "the Chef" (Alban Ukaj) delivering his drugs for him whilst he cooks the Focaccia in a small restaurant. Things take a turn for the desperate when it becomes clear that "Lokita" is going to have to take a more clandestine route to obtaining her documents, and to that end agrees to be a live-in carer of a different sort - at a cannabis growing facility. Unused to being apart, the two find an ingenious way to communicate - and to thrive - but that is not without it's risks... The thing with this film is that though both performances are engaging, the story lacks for plausibility. You would expect both characters to have acquired a certain street-wisdom, but some of the dialogue from this eleven year old boy is unrealistic. He is just too shrewd and adaptable! The story also appears to have run out of time and/or money as the plot development abruptly - and rather tragically - stops. It is all too hurried at the end and that is really quite disappointing. That said, there is chemistry in spades between the two actors and the Dardenne's do convey something of their love for each other despite their increasingly frustrating predicament in an interesting fashion - using their favourite song to poignant effect, too. Well worth a watch, but it would certainly have benefitted from a more evened-out delivery, all round.