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I'm a big admirer of Shane Meadows having followed his career since seeing Twenty Four Seven in the late 90s, he's just getting better. Met him briefly a few years ago at a film screening and he's such a nice bloke. He's a naturalistic film maker, one who uses improv and non-actors in a lot of his films. They may not be some people's cup o' tea as they're unglossy, maybe sometimes a little bit of amateurishness slips in, but to me they're an endearing and charming product of his enthusiasm for film.
This is England is his latest film, just out this week. Set in the weeks following the Falklands War it's a small capsule of time in the lives of a band of youngsters who've adapted the music and fashions of the skinheads. The laughs and camaraderie that draw in a bullied 12 year old lad are soon cut short by the return from prison of an old aquaintance for whom the skinhead way of life equals the National Front.
It's this nasty turn that sets of a chain of events that opens the youngest lad's eyes to racism and violence. The film is based on Shane Meadows own childhood experiences growing up in Staffordshire. I won't spoiler the film so won't say any more about the plot.
The acting is superb. The little lad who plays Shaun is a natural, and Stephen Graham who plays the psychotic Combo is truly frightening. There's some very moving scenes here and a lot of feeling been put into the characters. If you were around in Britain in the early 80s then the clothes and the music will set you off on a nostalgia trip!
Sadly the only other people in the cinema were some lads in their 20s who were agreeing with the NF rantings shown during the film. You have to despair sometimes that a film setting out to highlight racism and the effects of violence can be so willfully misinterpreted by people who cannot use their brains to think things through. You wouldn't believe me if I told you one of the group was black too. you really gotta wonder sometimes.
This is England is his latest film, just out this week. Set in the weeks following the Falklands War it's a small capsule of time in the lives of a band of youngsters who've adapted the music and fashions of the skinheads. The laughs and camaraderie that draw in a bullied 12 year old lad are soon cut short by the return from prison of an old aquaintance for whom the skinhead way of life equals the National Front.
It's this nasty turn that sets of a chain of events that opens the youngest lad's eyes to racism and violence. The film is based on Shane Meadows own childhood experiences growing up in Staffordshire. I won't spoiler the film so won't say any more about the plot.
The acting is superb. The little lad who plays Shaun is a natural, and Stephen Graham who plays the psychotic Combo is truly frightening. There's some very moving scenes here and a lot of feeling been put into the characters. If you were around in Britain in the early 80s then the clothes and the music will set you off on a nostalgia trip!
Sadly the only other people in the cinema were some lads in their 20s who were agreeing with the NF rantings shown during the film. You have to despair sometimes that a film setting out to highlight racism and the effects of violence can be so willfully misinterpreted by people who cannot use their brains to think things through. You wouldn't believe me if I told you one of the group was black too. you really gotta wonder sometimes.
I hope it has enjoyed the commercial success it deserves...
), Jo Hartley, George Newton and ‘Big’ Frank Harper peppering the supporting roles. Thomas Turgoose, in a debut performance as the 11 year old Shaun, is solidly believable.
