Movie Review: Mile End Kicks
Screened at Stockholm International Film Festival 2025
One-liner: A bold lead performance and an edgy sense of humour compels this honest, funny, quirky and entertainingly awkward romance comedy drama.
Mile End Kicks is a personal coming-of-age comedy-drama from writer-director Chandler Levack. Set in 2011, it journeys with Grace Pine, a 24-year-old music journalist who relocates to Montreal to escape a difficult work situation and seize the opportunity to write a book about Alanis Morissette and her ‘Jagged Little Pill’ album. Moving away from her parents, she discovers the cold hard realities of getting by as an underpaid journalist, making friends and finding love.
Her misadventures make for a peculiar, awkward and funny film built on a strong performance from Barbie Ferreira, which is both challenging and fully committed. Ferreira truly embodies the character and all of her flaws – a complex woman who is almost oblivious to her role in her own troubles. She’s supported by a strong cast including Jay Baruchel, Devon Bostick, Juliette Gariépy, Robert Naylor and Stanley Simons.
Grace takes life by the horns, finding herself in strange and sleazy predicaments as she tries to make sense of a new scene. Supported by a fine selection of oddball characters, the supporting performances are equally memorable and tonally on point. The indie rock scene and the illusion of stardom become frequent sources of humour as the critic follows and forms a relationship with a fledgling rock band venturing into the unknown.
Hilarious as a comedy, Mile End Kicks is surprisingly impactful as a romance drama, keeping the protagonist on a knife’s edge regarding our empathy. At times a deer in the headlights, Grace generates a self-deprecating kind of comedy tempered by a touch of schadenfreude as the reckless journalist learns her lessons in life and love the hard way. The humor is generally untamed, pushing the limits of taste with some bold swings.
“Cheaze.”
Reminiscent of Almost Famous and Sing Street, the journalism angle is curious from the perspective of a female writer in a male-dominated establishment trying to assert herself. Tracking a band on a very low level allows room for comedy regarding the shoestring budget and the dynamics of the bandmates. In terms of Sing Street, the film possesses similar energy and verve, maintaining a sliver of innocence and naivete amidst the hard knocks.
Passion becomes the secret weapon for characters trying to break out of their mediocre existence. The film offers layers of complexity regarding relational dynamics as a young journalist falls for the “bad boy,” only to find the very real limitations of her romantic ideals. It’s a tricky balancing act between objective coverage, fan worship and exploitation.
There’s even a touch of Bridget Jones’s Diary as Grace finds herself in the deep end, struggling to write her book, pay rent and maintain iffy relationships. This fun-natured and quirky mix of indie rock, romance and dramedy is entertaining and spirited. There’s never a dull moment, and while there’s a crowd-pleasing element at play, the film remains just out of reach and unpredictable enough to keep you guessing.
While a little rough around the edges and risque enough to provoke, Barbie Ferreira is a perfect mascot, channeling the tonal qualities of Mile End Kicks with awkward grace and wide-eyed wonder. A solid ensemble and crisp writing give the film a bit of Juno attitude, latching onto a decent punk spirit. While this brand of comedy is not for everyone, Mile End Kicks remains accessible and constantly enjoyable.
Its edginess and honesty makes it difficult to recommend wholeheartedly to everyone, but not playing it safe is part of the appeal of a character who filters into every aspect of this well-crafted film. Much like some music albums, it’s a grower… the kind of film that you find yourself appreciating more and more. It captures an era and creates a nostalgic world where no dream is unattainable, and everyone is reaching for the stars.
The bottom line: Amusing
