REVIEW: LOLLIPOP
THE GIST
It’s real, like a documentary!
THE REVIEW
!!!SPOILERS!!!
EXPECTATIONS
The poster stands out is what attracted me, wave bright colours about and you’ll get my attention 😂
I didn’t even watch the trailer, just read the synopsis.
RATINGS SO FAR
Lollipop was originally released in the UK and Ireland on June 13th 2025. The ratings have had a long time to settle but its audience is slow reaching, so there could still be quite some adjustment to come.
100% Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score seems at odds with IMDb’s 6.8/10 and Letterboxd’s 3.8/5. And there’s still no Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score. It could possibly move closer to a 7/10 once all the ratings fill out a bit more.
With a current average overall rating of 8.1/10, it’s hard not to be curious about this film.
CONTEXT
Writer and director Daisy-May Hudson (known for her 2015 documentary Half Way) chose to make the movie a scripted feature rather than a documentary to protect the identities of real women navigating the care system, but she worked closely with women who had experienced child removal and prison.
THE PLOT
Molly, a young woman released from prison, struggles to regain custody of her children. When she bumps into her childhood friend Amina, the two women soon realize their only chance is to join forces and take destiny into their own hands.
THE EXPERIENCE
It was at times like watching a well shot documentary. Like being a fly on the wall just viewing these horrible situations play out.
You also get to see the other side of it too. The heart. The love. The caring.
At the centre of the story is a frustratingly bureaucratic system built to help but often doing the opposite.
All of this clashes and it is a mixed pot of emotions.
THE MEAT
Writer/Director Daisy-May Hudson: No wonder this felt like a documentary at times. All Hudson’s other work has been documentaries. Lollipop was going to be but she decided to protect the identities of real women navigating the care system, making a feature film instead.
Posy Sterling: She played Molly so real. It was sometimes like having a camera on a real situation. This is her second feature film, the first time playing the lead. I was shocked when I learnt that. But turns out she was in theatre for several years before getting on a TV series then getting onto films, so that explains her acting chops.
Idil Ahmed: She played the friend Amina. Judging by the solid supporting performance you would think she has a background in the industry in some capacity. Nope. This is her only film. But another performance that deserved some recognition.
The Story: I don’t know why Molly was in prison for 4 months but it can’t have been a major crime. Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it. Lollipop shows how inhumane the system can be. It was fair enough she needed to have a home and not live in a tent to get her kids back, but she should have been able to have immediate access and a decent amount of supervised time with her kids. That was so cruel on her and the kids. It’s hard to see how the system is helping sometimes because the things they do are so frustrating and aggravating. Then the distressed parent gets rightly upset and even more distressed and the system, instead of recognising what’s happening, frames the parent as more unstable. I was a bit concerned when Molly “kidnapped” the kids to lead a new life elsewhere. I may have done the same thing in that situation. But from an outsiders perspective, watching it play out, I couldn’t help how things would turn out so much worse when the system catches up with her. And it did. They caught up with her. Things got worse. Molly got worse. Her behaviour became more erratic. And the system came down on her harder. Having her friend Amina’s help was relieving for Molly. If she didn’t have her it could have been dire. Not everyone in that situation would have an Amina.
The Ending: The court room ending could have gone either way. It was nice it ended with her getting the kids back and moving in with Amina and her daughter though. For some reason, the final third of the film kinda tapered off. It’s hard for me to explain why. I had withdrawn from the film over that time and watching the end I was like “oh that’s how it ends”. I wasn’t invested anymore.
Parents: It was heartbreaking to watch at times, and I don’t have kids. For people who do, this film will hit them harder. For parents who have experienced similar situations, it will sadly be all too familiar.
SUMMARY
The authentic performances really made this film.
I still don’t know why it’s called Lollipop.
I think I missed a few things.
