Whether you’re a lover or a rocker, you’ll get swept up in Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock. Set in 1980s West London, we are encouraged to sway along with the various attendees of a Blues dance party as the night fades away and the worries of the day seemingly melt away, if only for a moment or two. Lovers Rock is a segment of the five-part anthology series ‘Small Axe’ series by McQueen exploring a decade of the lived experience of Black British people, accompanied by Mangrove and Red, White and Blue which also had their world premiere at The New York Film Festival in September. This hour-long special is named after the style of romantic reggae music that has great cultural significance in West London, and it is undeniably easy to get lost in the mood and the melodies that course through the piece.
The setting is fully immersive, even if the story takes its time to develop – it feels like the closest thing you can get to living in London at that time, from the costumes and interior design, to the normalised pervasive looks that the girls receive from men wishing to pursue them. This party feels like the event of the year, as we watch men moving furniture around as women cook in the kitchen, singing to each other. The air is full of excitement, yet tension lingers in the air. We see glances from young white boys across the street, enemies putting aside their differences when the police drive by, men who refuse to take no for an answer. It makes for a great commentary on the romanticisation of these periods – amidst the funk and the swaying, there are true anxious sensations that cause concern, but what is at the heart of this evening is the desire to simply let go.
We follow Martha (Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn), a seemingly ‘good girl’ who jumps out of her window to meet Patti (Shaniqua Okwok) before the dance, and as they arrive they are immediately the recipients of many gazes, Franklyn (Michael Ward) being one of them – he’s a nice guy, though, and he and Martha are practically inseparable for the rest of the evening. Patti wishes she could be so lucky, as her lack of desire to flirt with other men results in some sour encounters.
The upstairs dance floor is the hub of the evening – Janet Kay’s ‘Silly Games’ takes centre stage, as the camera sways amongst the dancers slowly caressing each other, singing to their hearts’ content. The scene is reminiscent of Rocketman’s ‘Crocodile Rock’ scene, where everyone seemingly floats momentarily, lost in the music. Sweat trickles down the walls, and the passion in the room exists beyond the melody itself. This sense of unity was electric, and the simplicity and sultriness of the scene is masterful.
Like most great parties, it’s always over too soon. McQueen truly puts you in a position of an attendee of this luscious evening – to recreate the atmosphere of an event so strongly is impressive, possibly amplified even more so due to the lack of these types of gatherings in recent months. With all its highs and lows, it really did feel like the event of the year. The anticipation for the ‘Small Axe’ series to be released to the public is high, as Steve McQueen has proved himself extremely worthy of the praise he will surely receive.
