4.3.2.1.
Director: Noel Clarke.
Starring: Emma Roberts, Noel Clarke, Tamsin Egerton
*
Noel Clarke, the populist purveyor of council flat theatrics, from Kidulthood(as writer) to Adulthood (as writer and director), wildly overreaches in the fatally misfired multi-strand thriller 4.3.2.1.
Boasting only the most superficial echoes of modern non-chronological classics such as, say, Pulp Fiction or Amores Perros, Clarke constructs a re-looping narrative about four zany girlfriends who scale minor character arcs while becoming accidentally involved in a major heist of Dutch diamonds. Thus, after a brief meeting in a fast-food restaurant in a west London shopping centre, we watch unfold the four separate stories of the feisty American Joanne (Emma Roberts), the posh pianist Cassandra (Tamsin Egerton), the sporty Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland) and the perpetually weepy Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond).
Here, as the most clichéd and hackneyed bits of Clarke's DVD collection seem to collide in his mind, and thus on screen, we get Shannon's ridiculous street-side encounter with, ahem, a real-life karate-chopping assassin babe called Kelly (Michelle Ryan). We get Kerrys trapped in a posh apartment's panic room. And we get Tamsin in New York duped by an internet cad; and Joanne in a London corner shop, drooling over her tough but universally desired boss, played by, yup, Noel Clarke himself. And it gets worse: the line-readings are horrifically poor and there is no actual sense of how the diamond heist fits into the story, and why it should matter - other than delivering a gun to the girls, and allowing Clarke to drive a car through a plate-glass window.
In short, it's like the German thriller Run Lola Run, only set in London and made by someone who doesn't actually know what they're doing.
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
