Right, so this is a sappy film. But, not cause of the acting in my opinion. Looks at the choices people make and how they deal with the realities that life presents them. The acting is good all around. Idris, Gemma, Franz Drameh and Ryan Gage put in good performances. Yes, it's stereotypical and predictable. The stories do not intersect are separate stories taking place at the same time. What throws it off and makes it sappy is the writing and the score/music. Seeing as Idriss Elba was the music supervisor this is kind of disappointing. I know his music chops are strong but the music made the whole film melodramatic. This is what gives it the syrupy feel. The screenplay is not interesting at all and presents characters in a particular light with little context. It's a good idea for a film, whose story structure has been done before. It lacks more the depth in writing to really draw you deep into the characters whose lives are on edge.