“Good kid, mad city,” reads one of several intermittent chapter headings in “Kicks,” the debut feature from writer-director Justin Tipping. While the line paraphrases Kendrick Lamar, it aptly sums up the essence of Tipping’s slick, engaging drama about an inner-city kid eager to recover his stolen shoes. An urban adventure story based around the world’s most charming MacGuffin, “Kicks” has almost too much grittiness for its own good, but its petite go-getter’s appeal easily smooths over many of the film’s rougher edges. Read Full Article Here