Twenty-One is a British-American drama film

Drama film

A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...

 directed by Don Boyd

Don Boyd

Donald William Robertson Boyd Hon D.Litt is a Scottish film director, producer, screenwriter and novelist...

 and co-scripted by him with Zoë Heller

Zoë Heller

Zoë Kate Hinde Heller is an English journalist and novelist.-Early life:Heller was born in North London as the youngest of four children of German-Jewish immigrant Lukas Heller, who was a successful screenwriter. Her mother was instrumental in keeping up the Labour Party's "Save London Transport...

. Patsy Kensit

Patsy Kensit

Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...

 stars as the 21-year-old protagonist. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival

Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...

 in February 1991. It was released theatrically later that year in the United States on 4 October, followed by a British release on 1 November.

Plot

Katie confides directly to the camera about her troubled existence. She reflects on characters we meet during the film, such as her drug-addicted boyfriend, and dysfunctional family members.

Cast

• Patsy Kensit
  Patsy Kensit
  Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
  
   as Katie
• Jack Shepherd as Kenneth
• Patrick Ryecart
  Patrick Ryecart
  Patrick Geoffrey Ryecart is an English actor.Ryecart was born in Leamington Spa. He has predominantly acted on British television shows since the mid-seventies including Lillie, Romeo and Juliet, The Professionals, Minder, Rumpole of the Bailey, Lovejoy, Coming Home, and Holby City...
  
   as Jack
• Maynard Eziashi
  Maynard Eziashi
  Maynard Eziashi is a British/Nigerian actor. In 1991, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival for his starring role in Mister Johnson alongside Pierce Brosnan....
  
   as Baldie
• Rufus Sewell
  Rufus Sewell
  Rufus Frederik Sewell is an English actor. In film, he has appeared in The Woodlanders, Dangerous Beauty, Dark City, A Knight's Tale, The Illusionist, Tristan and Isolde, and Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence. On television, he starred in the 2010 mini-series The Pillars of the Earth...
  
   as Bobby
• Sophie Thompson
  Sophie Thompson
  Sophie Thompson is an award-winning English actress, best known for playing Stella Crawford in EastEnders.-Early life:...
  
   as Francesca
• Susan Wooldridge
  Susan Wooldridge
  Susan Wooldridge , is the daughter of British actress Margaretta Scott and composer John Wooldridge. She is also the sister of Hugh Wooldridge.She was born in London, England, and educated at convent schools....
  
   as Janet
• Robert Bathurst
  Robert Bathurst
  Robert Guy Bathurst is an English actor. Bathurst was born in the Gold Coast in 1957, where his father was working as a management consultant. His family moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1959 and Bathurst was enrolled at an Anglican boarding school...
  
   as Mr. Metcalfe

Reception

The film received a rapturous response upon its premiere at Sundance

Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...

. Reception in Paris was also enthusiastic but UK press reviews were mixed despite Kensit receiving raves for her performance.

Nominations

Independent Spirit Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...

• Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
  The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Female Lead is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
  
   - Patsy Kensit
  Patsy Kensit
  Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
  
  

Sundance Film Festival

Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...

• Grand Jury Prize - Don Boyd
  Don Boyd
  Donald William Robertson Boyd Hon D.Litt is a Scottish film director, producer, screenwriter and novelist...
  
  

Deauville American Film Festival

Deauville American Film Festival

The Deauville American Film Festival is a yearly film festival devoted to American cinema, taking place since 1975 in Deauville, France. It was established by Lionel Chouchan and André Halimi....

• Critics Award - Don Boyd