Comparisons to 'Trainspotting (1996)' may be easy, but they're also perhaps the fastest way of describing what this flick feels like. Make no mistake, that's a compliment. However, while 'Beats (2019)' seems steeped in the same nostalgic, alternate-coming-of-age 'fight against the system', it certainly isn't a copy of what's come before and the comparison only goes so far. That's because this deep, ironically vibrant piece takes its own cues and follows its own conceit straight to the very core, using rave culture to explore the unexpressed, somewhat inexpressible desires of its 'boxed-in' youth. In this way, its theming almost feels closer to that of 'T2: Trainspotting (2017)', as it tries to capture a forcibly failing friendship and the realisation that things will never be the same as they once were. This comparison also allows my earlier use of the term 'nostalgia' to hold a little more weight; Boyle's most recent entry looks back on the nineties in the same, albeit more overt, way that this inherently does. That's because, for all the flick's intentions of being an in-the-moment experience, it's still unavoidably a period piece and, as such, has to look back by its very nature. It does this remarkably well though, with its slight rose-tint seeming purposeful. It feels, in a way, almost like a memory. If it were to have actually released in the nineties, it would have been a different beast altogether. Perhaps then it wouldn't have seemed similar to 'Trainspotting (1996)' at all (that's the last time I'll compare the two, I promise). The piece sets itself up sort of as a slice-of-life drama, except there's immediately a driving force in the form of its central relationship. It also doesn't waste time teasing us with its focal rave. Its mix of drama and comedy becomes clear even faster. By propelling the narrative forward with a pretty fast pace, it keeps things incredibly engaging. It feels focused and full of life. It's really entertaining, to boot. It also features quite a bit of political commentary throughout, even before its premise really gets underway. This usually takes the form of televised Tony Blair speeches or protest marches taking aim at the 'Criminal Justice and Public Order Act' (essentially a 'rave ban') and it sets the scene wonderfully, both in terms of the general setting and the central conflict. The whole piece makes good use of juxtaposition and irony to really sell the reasoning behind the protest rave, putting you firmly on the side of the would-be ravers - even if they're only really going to have a good time (because, why shouldn't that be allowed?) It's not your typical 'teenage angst'-type stuff and is a good backdrop for the feature's confident but familiar friendship dynamic. This is compelling stuff, even if it hits every single beat you'd expect, which ends on a suitably bittersweet note. It's refreshingly portrayed with an unembarrassed closeness all too often balked at, as well. The feature, as a whole, is really enjoyable. It does, however, slow down considerably in its final act. When the protest rave finally starts, it just keeps going and is hampered, significantly, by an industrial-inspired, MDMA-mimicking visual sequence that's far too long and far too flashy (in the sense that it really should have come with a photo-sensitive warning). It breaks immersion, is hard to watch and, ultimately, feels pointless, an avant-garde attempt at conveying the joy of the rave that pales in comparison to the more straight-forward stuff we've just seen. After this, the film never really recovers - at least, not fully. It doesn't manage to get back to the genuine heights it had previously reached, even though it does finish off its story in an effective, almost wistful way. Generally, though, this is a great movie. If its third-act were just a little tighter, it would be nearly perfect. Still, it's fun, realistic and rather charming. It's also a little under-seen at the moment. I'd certainly recommend it. 7/10