Jamie Skinner reviews Polite Society: Cert - 12, Run-time - 1 hour 44 minutes, Director - Nida Manzoor. Ria (Priya Kansara) believes that her older sister (Ritu Arya) is changing for the worse in the build-up to marrying her short-term boyfriend (Akshay Khanna), leading her to try and stop the wedding.

Just as Rye Lane added plenty of originality to rom-com conventions for a stylish take on the genre with plenty of personality just over a month ago Polite Society does the same with its own narrative. Following teenager Ria (Priya Kansara) as she tries to break-up her older sister Lena’s (Ritu Arya) relationship before the rapidly approaching wedding.

The aspiring stuntwoman, who used to make YouTube videos with her sister’s help, believes that Lena has lost her personality and passion for art (especially after having dropped out of art school) in the month that she’s known wealthy doctor Salim (Akshay Khanna). Fearing the worst, she does everything she can, with the help of best friends Clara (Seraphina Beh) and Alba (Ella Bruccoleri) to find dirt on Salim and prove a point which only she seems to see.

Whether focusing on the sisterly bond or the relationship between three close friends who are in their own group away from the rest of the school chemistry is key to so much of what is felt throughout the film. Luckily, the bonds we see overflow with it, particularly within the excellent friendship which you just want to be a part of; livening up their scheming. The same going for adding to the levels of humour throughout the film, thanks to the personalities throughout and the way they work in-hand with writer-director Nida Manzoor’s screenplay.

A screenplay which has its sharpness heightened by the style of the various genres glimpsed throughout. Contrasting the humour is Nimra Bucha as Salim’s mother, Raheela. Bucha brings an undeniable sense of threat to her scenes, played directly as the antagonist, even when Ria’s points are continuously disproved in increasingly elaborate and dangerous plots. As the stakes rise the more action begins to play a part in the film. With the central character’s stunt skills being put to the test in various martial-arts-flick inspired fight scenes there’s a real tonal flair from Manzoor who manages to contain such elements within the film as a whole and blend the genres and styles on display for a more entertaining ride.

The originality of Polite Society and the way that it adds to its narrative means that it avoids convention. There’s plenty to like about what’s on display and the places that the film goes, particularly with how you stay engaged with it, that you simply stay on board for the duration of the run-time. It may very well end up being one of the most entertaining films of the year thanks to its humour, personality and general style. You can’t help but be caught up in Ria’s arc and just how she develops over the course of the film. All heightened by the chemistry in front of and behind the camera.

Jamie Skinner, Four stars ****