Just like with its predecessor, it can be surprising how sober Street Flow 2 is. You expect stories about street gang life to be of a certain tone, but these films are more interested in the emotional and philosophical struggle to respond to violence and poverty in a just and proper way. This sequel continues this conversation from a more stable (but therefore less interesting) position: youngest sibling Noumouké is no longer torn between the influence of his older brothers, as all three try to move forward as a united front. But without a more distinct dilemma driving the action forward, the film ends up spinning its wheels—and rushes to an incomplete ending  that doesn't say enough about survival, lawfulness, or the African immigrant experience in France.

It's touching to see these characters normally separated by conflict come together, especially with their aging mother Khadijah (Kadi Diarra). Through her own little side story, we get a better peek into the immigrant community, whose bond is so strong it practically exists outside of all the difficult realities of poverty. It's here where Street Flow 2 can touch about a bitter truth: sometimes hardship and loss are what remind us of what is truly important. The fact that such beautiful cultures are stifled under contemporary society should be enough to convince anyone that there is vast inequality that persists at the heart of our societies.