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Crime drama

Yardie (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Yardie (2019) movie poster

Yardie is a 2019 crime drama starring Aml Ameen as D, Naomi Ackie and Sheldon Shepherd. It is partly based on Yardie by Victor Headley. It runs 1 hour 41 minutes and earned $1.6 million worldwide. Critics gave it 53% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.8/10.

IMDb rating
5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes
53%
worldwide gross
$1.6M
Echo Score
52
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Yardie (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 41m (101 min)
Genres
Drama , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Yardie About?

The premise of Yardie without spoilers, adapted from Yardie by Victor Headley. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1970s Kingston and 1980s Hackney, a man named D is haunted by the murder of his brother. He finds himself drawn into a world of crime and seeks refuge in music. Years later, the return of his childhood sweetheart and daughter forces him to face his past and a relentless desire for revenge against Rico, a ruthless gangster responsible for his family’s devastation. The pursuit of justice leads D on a dangerous path, forcing him to confront his demons and the consequences of violence.

Yardie Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • jamaica
  • organized crime
  • london england
  • car chase
  • gangster
  • year 1973
  • boy
  • brother
  • brother brother relationship
  • murderer
  • murder
  • violence
+38 more
  • brutality
  • shot to death
  • death
  • weapon
  • revolver
  • year 1983
  • united kingdom
  • england
  • father
  • father daughter relationship
  • church
  • strangled to death
  • yardie
  • gang
  • jamaican posse
  • gang war
  • cocaine
  • gang violence
  • kingston jamaica
  • jamaican british
  • cocaine trafficking
  • white jamaican
  • jamaican accent
  • london borough of hackney
  • hackney london
  • turk
  • turkish gangster
  • turkish mafia
  • organised crime
  • drug trade
  • drug trafficking
  • drug dealer
  • reggae music
  • reference to bob marley
  • gangland
  • gangland crime
  • cocaine smuggling
  • smoking marijuana
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Cast & crew

Yardie Cast & Characters

Aml Ameen leads the cast as D, with Naomi Ackie and Sheldon Shepherd as King Fox.

Ratings

Yardie Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Yardie 53% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.8/10. Our Echo Score gives it 52/100, strongest in sensory experience (80) and weakest in rewatch factor (40).

52 /100

Yardie Echo Score Breakdown

Yardie presents an uneven directorial debut that balances vivid cultural immersion with narrative shortcomings. The film’s atmospheric portrayal of 1970s Kingston and London is frequently praised for its authentic period detail and music-driven energy, while its pacing and plot coherence are noted as inconsistent. Performances and production elements garner modest approval despite a lack of emotional depth in key characters. Ultimately, the film offers compelling sensory appeal but struggles to sustain engagement, resulting in a mixed but intriguing impression.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of art and craft, Yardie displays a strong sense of place through effective use of color and thoughtful production design, yet the director’s inexperience is apparent in uneven editing choices and tentative shot selection. Cinematography often captures the warmth of Jamaica and the chill of London, though moments of visual inertia undermine its vitality. The net effect is a competent but inconsistent visual presentation.

  • Character & Emotion 50

    When it comes to character and emotion, Yardie’s performances are handled with care but often lack depth and resonance. The cast delivers earnest moments, yet many figures remain underdeveloped and fail to elicit consistent empathy. Chemistry between leads is intermittent, leading some scenes to feel perfunctory. Overall, the emotional impact is modest, yielding a neutral character experience.

  • Story & Flow 45

    In terms of story and flow, Yardie offers a framework of classic gangster tropes but struggles with narrative coherence and pacing. The plot contains engaging cultural beats yet is undermined by uneven momentum and predictable developments. Occasional twists add interest, but causal links between key events often feel disjointed. The result is a storyline that is mixed in originality and engagement.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    When it comes to sensory experience, Yardie excels in its use of music and cultural textures. The reggae-infused soundtrack and ambient soundscapes create a vivid window into both Jamaica and London. Visual styling is cohesive, with authentic period details and a rhythmic editing style that reinforces the film’s atmosphere. Overall, the sensory design stands out as one of the film’s most engaging strengths.

  • Rewatch Factor 40

    In terms of rewatch value, Yardie’s strong cultural ambiance provides moments worth revisiting, but its uneven narrative and limited character engagement diminish its lasting appeal. The immersive music and setting may invite repeat viewings, yet structural weaknesses and a lack of developmental depth in key scenes reduce incentive to return. Overall, the film offers modest replay value tempered by its inconsistencies.

Plot

Yardie Plot Summary

What happens in Yardie from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Dennis “D” Campbell [Aml Ameen] lives with his peace-loving brother Jerry Dread in 1973 West Kingston, Jamaica. D loves a local schoolgirl named Yvonne [Naomi Ackie], but their relationship is strained by a brutal gang war between the Tappas, led by Skeeter, and the Spicers, led by King Fox. Tired of the ongoing violence tearing through the streets, Jerry Dread arranges a DJ session intended to bridge the two territories and foster peace. The plan collapses when Jerry is shot and killed by Clancy Hibbert, one of D’s classmates and an aspiring gang member, setting a vendetta that will haunt D for years.

Full summary

The whole story of Yardie, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Yardie Box Office

Yardie grossed $1.6 million worldwide. $36,012 came from the US and Canada and $1.5 million (98%) from the rest of the world.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.6M

US & Canada
$36K
International
$1.5M
US & Canada 2% Rest of the world 98%
Videos

Yardie Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Yardie.

YARDIE - Teaser Trailer - Directed by Idris Elba
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Yardie?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  4. Question 4: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the main protagonist in Yardie?

Cars

Cars in Yardie

40 cars on screen, including the 1972 BMW 2500 E3 and the 1946 Chevrolet Maple Leaf.

All 40 cars
  • 1972 BMW 2500 E3 in Yardie 1972 BMW 2500 E3 Important role
  • 1946 Chevrolet Maple Leaf in Yardie 1946 Chevrolet Maple Leaf Important role
  • Ford Fairmont in Yardie Ford Fairmont Important role
  • Lambretta GP in Yardie Lambretta GP Important role

Seen Yardie?

FAQ

Yardie FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Yardie, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Yardie?

Yardie runs 1 hour 41 minutes (101 minutes).

When was Yardie released?

Yardie was released on March 15, 2019.

Who is in the cast of Yardie?

Yardie stars Aml Ameen as D, Naomi Ackie and Sheldon Shepherd as King Fox, among 17 credited actors.

How much did Yardie make at the box office?

Yardie grossed $1.6 million worldwide ($36,012 domestic, $1.5 million international).

How is Yardie rated?

Yardie has 5.8/10 on IMDb, 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, 52 on Metacritic and 59% on TMDB.

Is Yardie based on a book?

Yes. Yardie is partly adapted from Yardie by Victor Headley.

Does Yardie have a post-credit scene?

No. Yardie has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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