The 'masterpiece' historic drama streaming on BBC with 99% Rotten Tomatoes score

A "masterpiece" historic drama with a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score will only be streaming on the BBC for another month. Centred around the Mangrove restaurant, a community hub run by Frank Crichlow, the two-hour film explores how a local safe space became the focus of racial tension, police brutality, and ultimately, a landmark legal battle that exposed systemic racism in Britain.

Based on a true story, it follows the story of the Mangrove Nine, a group of activists who stood trial in 1970 after protesting police harassment in Notting Hill, London. The first half of Steve McQueen's film immerses viewers in the warmth and rhythm of the community hub, before tension builds as police raids and intimidation intensify. In the second half, it shifts to the courtroom and the fight for justice.

Mangrove is part of an anthology of films, Small Axe, described as "love letters to black resilience and triumph in London's West Indian community" by the BBC.

The five-part anthology tells distinct stories from the 1960s to the 1980s, portraying "vivid stories of hard-won victories in the face of racism", directed by Oscar-winning Steve McQueen.

One reviewer on Film Daze, an independent film publication, said it was "perhaps the first true masterpiece of 2020" adding that "Mangrove demonstrates McQueen's unparalleled artistry and intelligence as a filmmaker".

On Rotten Tomatoes, where it has a 99% score from professional critics, one reviewer wrote: "Based on the trial that had the first judicial acknowledgment of racial prejudice in the Metropolitan Police, McQueen's keen ability for capturing blistering emotions is on fine display here."

A second said the dialogues are as "profound as they are theatrical", while a third added: "Mangrove is the crowning achievement in McQueen's Small Axe collection and will leave you tearful and educated by the time the credits roll."

The 2020 film will be on the BBC for one more month.