Alex Wheatle
Publicity poster with still from Alex Wheatle. Note that the actors named at the top appear in other Small Axe films, not this one.
Written by	Steve McQueen Alastair Siddons
Directed by	Steve McQueen
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Running time	66 minutes
Original release
Release	6 December 2020 (2020-12-06)

Alex Wheatle is a 2020 historical drama film directed by Steve McQueen and co-written by McQueen and Alastair Siddons. It stars Sheyi Cole as Alex Wheatle, a Black British novelist who was sentenced to a term of imprisonment after the 1981 Brixton uprising. The film was released as part of the anthology series Small Axe on BBC One on 6 December 2020 and on Amazon Prime Video on 11 December 2020.^[1]

Plot

After enduring a childhood in a predominantly white foster home devoid of love or familial bonds, Alex Wheatle, a young Black man, finds himself in Brixton. Here, he not only experiences a sense of community for the first time in his life but also uncovers a profound passion for music. However, Brixton proves to be a tinderbox, and following the three days of unrest in April 1981, he is incarcerated. Yet, within the confines of prison, Alex stumbles upon unexpected opportunities. Encouraged by his fellow inmate Simeon to broaden his horizons, the young man discovers a love for literature and begins to cultivate a certain level of education.^[2][3]

Cast

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on 43 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Sheyi Cole shines in Alex Wheatle, a harrowing biopic that barely scratches the surface of a complex life, but does so with empathy and finesse."^[4] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[5]