Been So Long (film)

Been So Long is a 2018 musical film directed by Tinge Krishnan based on the musical of the same name, with a screenplay written by Ché Walker.

It is based on a musical premiered at the Young Vic on July 11, 2009, which was itself based on the 1998 play of the same name.

The film was released on 26 October 2018 by Netflix.

Premise
Simone, a single mother, meets and falls in love with a handsome stranger named Raymond while out for a rare night on the town with her friends. The film poses several questions including whether or not Simone can allow someone get close to her, and if Raymond, who is on parole from prison, deserves her trust. There are storylines about Simone's disabled daughter, her daughter's estranged father, and Simone's relationship with her best friend. In the background, Raymond is being stalked by a wild knife wielding young man.

The film is set in Camden Town, London. Scenes were filmed in Camden Market, Regent's Canal, and Primrose Hill.

Cast

 * Michaela Coel as Simone
 * Arinzé Kene as Raymond
 * George MacKay as Gil
 * Joe Dempsie as Kestrel
 * Luke Norris as Barney
 * Arsher Ali as Jake
 * Rakie Ayola as Martina
 * Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo as Yvonne
 * Ashley Thomas as Wendell
 * Sophia La Porta as Willesden
 * Tom Forbes as Conrad
 * Mark Wingett as Bailiff
 * Genevieve Barr as Artemis

Production
In May 2017, it was announced that principal production of the film had concluded in London, UK. In September 2017, Netflix bought worldwide rights to the film, in what was a "multi-million dollar deal", believed to be Netflix's largest single acquisition of a U.K. film in its history at the time.

Soundtrack
The musical score for Been So Long was composed by Christopher Nicholas Bangs, and features music from the film’s stars.

The digital album was released through Virgin EMI Records on 26 October 2018.

Release
It was released on October 26, 2018 by Netflix.

Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of, based on reviews, with an average rating of. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".