Small Axe is a collection of films from British writer/director Steve McQueen set between the late 1960’s and mid 1980’s that focus on the West Indian community in London. The Small Axe of the title is a proverb made famous by a Bob Marley song, “if you are the big tree, we are the small axe”. 

Notting Hill, 1968 and Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes) has opened his restaurant Mangrove. It quickly becomes a centre of the community and a target for the Metropolitan police with PC Pulley (Sam Spruell) at the spearhead of their prejudiced and unwarranted attacks on the restaurant. 

With the help and encouragement of other community leaders including Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby), Barbara Beese (Rochenda Sandall) and Altheia Jones (Letitia Wright) a protest is organised against the establishment oppressing them. A protest that is squashed by the police resulting in fighting and charges being made against nine members of the community. They would become the Mangrove Nine and face trial at The Old Bailey. 

Based on the true events of a landmark trial Mangrove is as searing an expose on institutional racism as you would expect from the man who brought us 12 Years A Slave. It is filled with powerful performances and frankly gobsmacking racism from the not too distant past. 

It is a film of two halves. The first shows us the life and community in Notting Hill and the racism of the Metropolitan Police. It builds are connection with the accused and sets us up for the second half of the film which is a court room drama. This half of the film is made more interesting by the unique tactics deployed by the group where two of them choose to represent themselves whilst one barrister chooses to antagonise the judge. 

Essential