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This Is England
Shane Meadows
(2006)
97min
18 Certificate
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Review
Our Score
by
Jamie Russell
The sixth feature from British film-maker Shane Meadows (
Dead Man's Shoes
,
TwentyFourSeven
) offers a semi-autobiographical portrait of skinheads in the 1980s. Set in a bleak (and unnamed) northern town just after the Falklands War, the film follows 12-year-old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) as he's befriended by a group of kindly, multiracial skinheads. A touchingly funny first half gives way to something more disturbing as Shaun is drawn to a breakaway group of National Front supporters led by Combo (Stephen Graham), a terrifying racist. Like much of Meadows's work,
This Is England
pivots on a relationship between a child and a disturbed father figure; this time, though, the dynamic writer/director has produced what could well be his masterpiece. Coaxing a superb performance from his young lead and brilliantly evoking the working-class despair of the Thatcher era, Meadows has created a film to be reckoned with.
Summary
Twelve-year-old Shaun lives with his mother in a shabby council flat in a bleak northern town and is lacking direction after losing his father in the Falklands War. At school, he is befriended by a skinhead gang and the leader takes the boy under his wing - a tie that draws Shaun into a world of racism and violence, but one where he begins to find a new identity. Shane Meadows' drama set in the 1980s, starring Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham and Jo Hartley.
Cast & Crew
Shaun Fields
Thomas Turgoose
Combo
Stephen Graham
Cynth
Jo Hartley
Milky
Andrew Shim
Lol
Vicky McClure
Woody
Joe Gilgun
Smell
Rosamund Hanson
Gadget
Andrew Ellis
Meggy
Perry Benson
Banjo
George Newton
Lenny
Frank Harper
Pukey Nicholls
Jack O'Connell (2)
Director
Shane Meadows
see more
Other Information
Language:
English
Colour
Theatrical distributor:
Optimum Releasing
Guidance:
Violence, swearing and drug abuse.
Available on:
DVD and Blu-ray
Released on:
27 Apr 2007
Drama
Full Episode Guide
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Stephen Graham: "I’ve made a conscious decision to play more Scouse roles to show young actors that it's possible"
The Liverpudlian star discusses the fickleness of the acting industry, gambling between takes and why Julie Walters is "funny as f***"
Stephen Graham reunites with This is England’s Jack Thorne and Shane Meadows for new drama The Virtues
Daniel Mays on why actors shouldn’t “posh up” to get roles
Vicky McClure on corsets, Soho sex shops and (not) being a secret agent
Could there be more This is England?
This is England '90 episode one review: "brilliantly funny, but with a hint of the darkness and despair to come"
Vicky McClure is one of our greatest young stars
Shane Meadows and cast on reuniting for This is England '90 — and why they couldn't stop crying on set
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