In 2005, 18 year old Anthony Walker was murdered in a racist attack in Liverpool. He had been a promising student, a well mannered young man, and had hoped to pursue a career in law, concentrating on civil rights.
His mother Gee Walker, who subsequently set up a foundation in her son’s name, to tackle racism, discrimination and hate crime, approached screenwriter and producer Jimmy McGovern, to make a television movie about the life that Anthony might have had if he had not been murdered.
It’s a difficult concept to wrap your head around in some ways because of course nobody knows what the future holds. However, McGovern’s approach to this story is compassionate and heartbreaking.
It starts with Anthony at 25, happily married with a child, at an awards show where his friend wins and presents the award to Anthony who his friend said is the real deserved winner.
It then tracks backward year by year, showing how Anthony met his future wife, how he helped a friend who had reached rock bottom, and how he started to realise his dream of becoming a lawyer. When the film reaches Anthony at age 18, tension sets in because of course we know as viewers what is going to happen. His murder is depicted brutally and made me furious at the injustice. I also sobbed uncontrollably for the last half an hour of the film.
Toheeb Jimoh played Anthony and conveyed the inherent goodness of this young man, who cared deeply for his mother and for those around him. Rakie Ayola played his mother Gee, in a simply outstanding performance.
This was not an easy watch, it made me sad and angry. But it’s an important watch, and extremely respectfully done. I urge you to watch it if you get the opportunity.
Between the Pages 
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