When it comes to being able to successfully pursue your dreams, some people are fortunate enough to have everything fall into place with minimal effort, while others tend to have to rely on a combination of ambition, hard work and sometimes sheer luck. I’d argue the latter category encompasses the vast majority of these stories, since it’s very rare to find someone being able to achieve their goals without actually working for it over time. Chandler Levack seems to know this all too well, as it is the foundation of Mile End Kicks, her semi-autobiographical account of her time as a journalist. The film follows Grace, a college dropout who decides to pursue writing, working for a music publication, where she attains enough success to motivate her to temporarily move to Montreal to write a book on Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, in the hopes of finally leaping forward in her career. However, her wide-eyed ambitions are immediately called into question when she realises that it isn’t all that easy to write when you not only have very little practical experience in the publishing industry, but also have not lived enough to fully understand the scope of pain, confusion and existential dread that made the album such a cultural sensation. This intersects with her introduction to Bone Patrol, an independent band whom she encounters, going from casual acquaintance to their publicist, and in the process becoming very close to two of its members, namely the sensitive Archie and the enigmatic Chevy, both of whom take an interest in their new friend. A film that is certainly very simple, but in a way that reveals so much more through its unfurnished, direct approach to exploring the human condition, Mile End Kicks (named after the artistically-inclined neighbourhood in which the protagonist takes up residence) is fantastic, a captivating blend of comedy and drama that quietly subverts our expectations and delivers something profoundly moving and bitingly funny, proving that some of the most effective stories are usually those that understand the intricacies of the human condition, and are willing to remove all superficial layers, revealing the bare, honest truths lingering beneath the surface.

Films about artists tend to be very interesting, especially when they are told from the perspective of outsiders, who peer into these lives of creative individuals, and in the process find themselves becoming inspired. The concept of a young music journalist becoming involved with a band is certainly not new – Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous was a major sensation, and Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine makes some provocative statements on the nature of fame through the eyes of someone observing the rise and fall of an icon. Mile End Kicks didn’t intend to say anything new or revolutionary on the subject, but somehow in the process manages to underline precisely why it is such a fascinating work for several reasons. Levack draws on her own experiences as a journalist, reflecting on the years she spent behind a keyboard, writing about a wide range of artists who ultimately inspired her to develop her own artistry, which has now transformed into a film that confronts so many compelling themes in something incredibly simple but undeniably effective. The reason for this is that, while the story revolves around music, this isn’t the sole focus – Levack uses her experience as a journalist who encountered many bands, covering their lives and careers both on and off stage, as an entry-point into what we soon discover is a poignant story of a young woman seeking her place in the world. Grace is a complex character, someone who wholeheartedly believes that she is destined for greatness, and can therefore take enormous risks under the misguided opinion that everything will ultimately fall into place for her, not realising the challenges that come when navigating a world that tends to be quite cruel and hostile. Through this, Grace learns more about herself than she would have had she been allowed to live her previously sheltered existence – she falls in love, has her heart broken and realises the unconventional beauty of a world that doesn’t always make sense, but which is still worth exploring. Identity, friendship and the journey from insecurity to confidence are all peppered liberally throughout the film, which beautifully explores how life can be gloriously unpredictable and endlessly tumultuous, even for those who believe that they have everything under control.

Something that has always been quite appealing when it comes to coming-of-age stories is the potential for these films to not only be fantastic introductions to talented young directors, but also offer introductions to newer talents, or at least give slightly more established actors the chance to showcase their skills in the one genre that tends to be quite challenging. Barbie Ferreira is not a newcomer, since she has done some solid film and television work – but it was only recently that she seemed to start to be given more major roles, and therefore able to show her incredible skills. She’s a very gifted performer with a unique perspective and a lot of very interesting approaches to how she plays a character, which works perfectly for the role of Grace, which needed someone with a strong personality, but not to the point where her vulnerabilities are not at least partially noticeable, which is the entire purpose of the film. She bares her soul in this striking, beautiful performance as a young woman trying to find her way through the world, entirely unaware of the challenges that lay ahead. Ferreira is joined by a solid supporting cast, which includes Devon Bostick and Stanley Simons as her love interests, both being very distinct characters that are essentially opposites, and who represent different qualities in Grace’s unintentional pursuit of love, each having their own showcase moments that feel rich and captivating. Juliette Gariépy, who has been steadily building a very impressive career as one of Canada’s most reliable young performers, steals every scene she is in as Grace’s roommate and friend, while Isaiah Lehtinen reunites with the director after his incredible performance in her debut, in a much smaller but not any less compelling role. It’s a solid ensemble that Ferreira leads beautifully, each moment feeling authentic and honest in a way that many may find to be quite surprising in how authentic and lived-in each one of these performances proves itself to be by the end of the film.

One of the many reasons Levack has piqued my curiosity (and very likely those of other people in the industry, since there have been many murmurs about how her work is genuinely exciting) comes down to the fact that she is focused on telling meaningful stories, abandoning any of the frills and unnecessary elements that would usually populate these films, and therefore preferring a more straightforward approach that underlines the deeper themes without becoming too focused on the additional information that had very little purpose in the first place other than to be purely cosmetic. As is often the case with younger filmmakers, Levack is drawing from her own experiences, directing a film that may not be completely autobiographical, but is steeped very heavily in her own life, which gives it a sense of authenticity and allows her to plumb the depths of her own personal past in a way that is insightful and frankly very moving at times. There’s a clear resistance towards the kind of heavy-handed emotions that we usually have come to expect from films that tackle the same subjects, since it seems almost pre-written that a coming-of-age comedy needs to have some more overwrought moments to balance out the wackiness. Mile End Kicks is driven primarily by its honesty, and as a result it never once mistakes sincerity for unnecessarily sentimental moments, a simple distinction that immediately highlights why I have so much faith in Levack, since it takes quite a bit of insight into the narrative process to know how to tell such stories without resorting to the obvious tricks and techniques. There is no need for the film to do anything other than tell this very simple story, and it does so with incredible precision and a lot of dedication to a simple and evocative premise that may sometimes seem very predictable, but has a heartfulness that makes up for any obvious qualities. It does help that Levack is as good a writer as she is a director – the simplicity of the story and its visual execution is brilliantly contrasted with the humour, the dialogue being absolutely remarkable, filled with the kind of wit that immediately draws our attention towards Levack as one of the most exciting young voices in contemporary cinema.

As the second of three feature films that she has made so far (with her wonderful I Love Movies and Roommates already having been discussed), it is clear that Levack is a very talented filmmaker, and someone who seems to be on the precipice of a breakthrough. Her work is simple, but her vision is undeniable, and her style is already starting to take shape into what I wholeheartedly believe will become a major directorial career. It may not be particularly revolutionary at a glance, especially since it does occasionally hit the same expected beats – but none of this actually disqualifies the film from being considered a fully-formed success in both style and structure, every aspect of it being rich, compelling and deeply evocative. It can sometimes feel a bit obvious in what it is saying, but this is solely because Levack manages to tap into something universal: that feeling of curiosity intersecting with the discovery of some of life’s harshest and most challenging realities, all of which she condenses into this simple, captivating work of semi-autobiographical fiction. Anchored by some tremendous performances, each one rich and compelling in its own way, and driven by a genuine sense of whimsy that can sometimes be quite surprising, while also never neglecting to situate the story in a recognisable version of reality, the film is a triumph. I fully expect Levack to become one of the most enduring filmmakers of her generation, and all three of her films have proven that she has incredible skillfulness as both a writer and director, each word being meaningful and each shot being absolutely stunning. A truly lovely film that never takes itself too seriously while also not being opposed to having the more difficult conversations, Mile End Kicks is a terrific work, and one of the year’s most delightful surprises.