Still, what Tipping masters perfectly in the film is the constant ebb and flow of humor, and darkness, that runs through the narrative that is inner city boyhood.

It's about manhood, growing up in the hood, and the inner struggles you don't see played out on the news... It's not a perfect movie by any means, but I'm interested to see what Tipping does next.

Tipping, who also co-wrote the polished script, captures this unique mix of adolescent anxiety, urban decay and societal friction in a remarkably confident fashion ...

Kicks is not a terrible film. Kicks is an inconsistent film that lost its way. A film whose persistence in grimness takes away from what the viewers should really be concerned with Brandons story.