Gimme The Loot (2012) - Adam Leon

Malcolm and Sofia, two teenagers living in the Bronx, spend most of  their time as graffiti artists.  Feeling heat from a rival gang of street artists, the two hatch a plan to get revenge by tagging an iconic NYC landmark, giving them ultimate street cred.  In need of $500 dollars to pull of their scheme, the two set out to track down the money on the streets of New York.  Adam Leon's Gimme the Loot is a simple, yet effective film that is far more appealing and exuberant than it has any right too be.  The primary reason for this lies in the interaction between Malcolm and Sofia.  The relationship between the two of them is a pleasure to watch, with banter and interaction that just comes off as incredibly genuine.  The film does flirt with these two characters being more than friends but wisely leaves it at that, similar to a teenager who is confused about their feelings.  In terms of their relationships importance to the film,  I would even go as far as to say that the film somewhat lags when they aren't on the screen together.  Another strong attribute of the film is its ability to capture the world which these two teenagers navigate.  The film never spends too much time trying to over dramatize things for the viewers sake, accepting that to these characters much of what goes on to them is natural, merely another day in the life.  Tonially, Gimme the loot is much more laid back and comical than I was expecting but it was the right decision given that what transpires is nothing too out of the ordinary for Malcolm and Sofia.  Gimme the Loot is not groundbreaking or heart-wrenching but it's effective storytelling, giving us a honest and endearing portrait of taggers living in the big apple.
7.75/10

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