Mile End Kicks — Review

Arguably the most famous piece of writing advice is to “write what you know,” and writer-director Chandler Levack’s filmography exemplifies its efficacy. Her feature directorial debut, I Like Movies (2022), was partially inspired by her experience working at a video rental store as a teenager. Now, her sophomore feature, Mile End Kicks, draws from her time working as a music critic. There’s an undeniable passion for music that permeates the film, mirroring the admiration for cinema that runs throughout I Like Movies, which makes the two works feel thematically aligned. In fact, Mile End Kicks feels like the perfect companion to I Like Movies; during a Q&A, Levack even joked that she could have titled it I Like Music instead. By grounding her work in personal experience and distinct cultural moments, Levack successfully crafts films that feel astutely authentic and lived-in.