Cherrybomb

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This coming-of-age drama likens itself to the apathetic just-what's-wrong-with-these-kids movies of Larry Clark or Tim Hunter's River's Edge, but stops short of being the existential commentary it strives hard to be. Cherrybomb is an interesting debut nonetheless.

Belfast buds Malachy (Grint, Harry Potter) and Luke (Sheehan, Summer of the Flying Saucer) have always been in competition with each other when it comes to girls, with the rebellious Luke coming out on top. This weekend, however, is going to be too close to call: Michelle (Nixon) has moved back to Belfast to live with father Crilly (Nesbitt); she's bored and flirtatious (a deadly combination) and encourages the two friends to compete for her affection. Malachy and Luke's attempts to outdo each other and raise the ante end in disastrous results.

Cherrybomb opens with the fallout of a tragedy and then flashes back to a few days before to build up to the disaster that awaits the viewer at the climax. In their feature length debut, D'Sa and Leyburn, working from Daragh Carville's (Middletown) script, throws a spotlight on Belfast teenagers who do nothing but smoke grass, drink, joyride and have sex. The future is someone else's problem. The filmmakers' ambition is to be applauded but if not for that climatic taster during the opening credits there would be a danger of interest flagging, as Cherrybomb can get a little samey.

The directors exhibit a confidence that belies their experience, though: Cherrybomb has a cooler-than-thou attitude boasting hip dialogue and honest performances from the cast. Despite having less to work with, Grint outshines his co-stars and shows that he can offer a whole lot more than Ron Weasley. His breakout from Harry Potter's shadow starts here. Carville's script strives for believability, as all three protagonists have their own lives outside of each other: Malachy is a brain but feels his parents don't see him as anything more; Luke's father is a loser, a drug-addict/dealer that uses more than he pushes; Michelle's father is having an affair with a girl her age. All this adds to the authenticity of the characters - here are fleshed out, fully rounded and flawed people.

It's when Carville's script tries too hard that it struggles: some scenes take place against a backdrop of existential graffiti from Apocalypse Now ("Sell the car, sell the kids"), sometimes it's too cool for school. There are inconsistencies too: Although grass is puffed and alcohol swigged, no ever seems to be stoned or drunk, while the zippy direction flounders when the directors happen across a dialogue-heavy scene that tampers with the pacing.