UK/Nigerian Film "The Last Tree" by Shola Amoo Pass; Don't See

The joyful first 20 minutes of "The Last Tree" sets the foundation for a coming of age story of a pubescent  black boy, Femi (Sam Adewunmi).  He's seen happily playing with friends and living with his white foster mom.  The boys play soccer, frolick in the mud and king of the hill; roaring with the exuberance of their youth & friendships.  The colorful cinematography and "color blind" relationships come to a screeching halt when Femi's mother comes to bring her son back to live with her.  Despite being promised by his foster mom she wouldn't let him go & her crocodile tears, Femi's fears are realized.  His mother, Yinka (Gbemisula Ikumelo) comes to bring him back to live with her. The transition from a lovely one family home in a bucolic neighborhood to a run down tenement with piss in the elevator is difficult for both mother & son.  Yinka makes it immediately known what's expected of him (chores & staying indoors) or he's be beaten by the broom handle he uses to sweep with daily.  Faster than the leap from a cute baby lion cub to a full-grown Simba, Femi (who looks 25) morphs into a surly teen.  Dir/screenwriter Shola Amoo received 2 British Indept. Film Awards for this film; his 2nd directorial debut.  Nevertheless, everything going forward is a repeat of tropes of adolescents growing up amidst gangs, limited opportunity and a listlessness with rancor towards his hardworking, mostly absent mother.   Femi is reunited with his former foster mom now caring for another young black child.  This makes for a tender bonding between the Femi and & the young boy and a forced emotional reckoning with his step-mom for her broken promise "that really messed me up."  Thankfully, there's a high school teacher, for whatever reason, is willing to take Femi under his wing despite Femi's apathy & physical assaults.  Towards the end, we're somehow transported to Yinka's hometown in Nigeria.  There Yinka subjects herself in order to introduces her son to his birth father, some sort of gang lord and to his half-siblings.  Femi has an epiphany.  He sees his mother in a new light and finds enlightenment from her devotion & self sacrifices.  Ho hum, the plot, the casting and emotional angst are all lost in "The Last Tree". I don't recommend you see.