The Last Tree

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The Last Tree

Released Jun 26, 2020

1h 40m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

After growing up in quiet, rural Lincolnshire, teenager Femi struggles with unfamiliar surroundings and cultural differences when he moves in with his mother in London.

Critics Consensus

Distinctive in terms of content, perspective, and insight, The Last Tree vividly depicts the turmoil of adolescence with remarkable grace.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Rich with technical strategies that enhance our view into Femi's emotions, The Last Tree uses slow-motion, diffused sound, and many Spike Lee-like camera shots to make the story extremely personal and unique.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 16, 2020

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Ty Burr

Boston Globe

As "The Last Tree" ends with the potential of better things for Femi, an audience may walk away convinced of its filmmaker's promise and looking forward to seeing it blossom in full.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 29, 2020

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Lovia Gyarkye

New York Times

I can't help but be impressed by Amoo's attempts to direct a familiar narrative with such a complicated set of questions.

Jun 25, 2020

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Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

A moving and powerful film, filled with quiet rage.

Oct 13, 2020

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Danny Brogan

Common Sense Media

Coming-of-age drama explores identity; violence, language.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 21, 2020

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A compelling coming-of-age drama about a Nigerian immigrant in London.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 8, 2020

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dave d

Intense and often real, yet sometimes too familiar, 'The Last Tree', overall, is a mixed bag. We follow a London boy with a Nigerian family in a gritty look at a rough upbringing. Other than our main character, Femi (brilliantly portrayed by Sam Adewunmi), we're not given enough detail often and we wander through time in an unexplained way. The characters are never given a chance to flourish, other than a mother who was painted as evil until she wasn't. The film's tonal shift in the third act didn't work for me. The finish is much too tidy and writer and directer Shola Amoo's is too light on pages so he can't earn the reaction that he desires from an average viewer. It's beautiful and scored eloquently, but it overall just didn't work for me. This film could have been great if there was just another pass or two at the screenplay. What a disappointing miss. Final Score: 5/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Slow, boring, ponderous, with under-developed characters.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Amazing film! Well written film and great acting. The storyline was thoughtful and thorough. Definitely one of my favorite films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Sam S

Honestly, it made me more wary of African immigration to the UK. If only they could get rid of the criminal element among first generation immigrants. It's depressing. Good kids don't stand a chance.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/10/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Its such a wonderful coming-of-age movie that goes beyond the genre, giving us more than just the story of Femi, but also his inner self creating a real connection with the character. Sam Adewunmi is phenomenal and the director is definitely one to follow. Mesmerizing!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Engaging. Not amazing or memorable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

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Shola Amoo

Director

Nicholas Pinnock

Mr Williams

Jamal Ibrahim

Ade

Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis

Tayo

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Dionne

Demmy Ladipo

Mace

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The Last Tree: Trailer 1

2:02

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Synopsis

After growing up in quiet, rural Lincolnshire, teenager Femi struggles with unfamiliar surroundings and cultural differences when he moves in with his mother in London.

Director: Shola Amoo
Producer: Lee Thomas, Myf Hopkins
Screenwriter: Shola Amoo
Distributor: ArtMattan Films
Production Co: Prodigal Film & TV, British Film Institute, Privateer Pictures
Genre: Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 26, 2020
Runtime: 1h 40m