User Reviews

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

This Is England grabs you right from the off. It's real, unflinching, brutal. It's about Shaun, a lad grieving his dad, falling into life with a group of skinheads. The rough edge of youth is what's portrayed - brutality, disillusion, finding your place. Thomas Turgoose is superb playing Shaun, keeping the film on its shoulder of **** dynamics of the group are messy, convoluted, but real. The pace can drag on occasions, but it's building up to big things. The film pulls no punches, and that's what's lingered on afterward. It's uncomfortable on occasions, but gets real life right, making it un-look-away-able.This Is England is blunt. That one will stay with me forever. 9 out of 10.

In condemned racism Sean is a 12-year-old boy who meets and joins a group of young skinheads led by Woody, and this membership in the group brings him adventures. This film tries to have a realistic structure by using documentary scenes, especially from the Falkand Islands war. The film has a strong anti-racist view in its inner layers and moves based on subcultures in the society and is remarkable in this sense. But the film is actually two parts and the trend changes from the middle of the film and even important characters like Woody disappear from the middle of the film and the film takes a different direction. Therefore, it seems that the script does not have enough focus and the secondary characters do not have an effective role in the film.

I will review this movie according to how it made me feel, which is like Reservoir Dogs, not in script, but in tone. The characters mesh together in a community much the same way that Reservoir Dogs did. A movie that successfully captures a community is very special, Goodfellas being probably the best example. The music matched the tone very well. Popular songs played across slo mo video, partly where the Reservoir Dogs feel came from. The original score was also very beautiful, and far more effective than expected. Beautiful piano and orchestra will sneak up on you, never expected that from a white supremacist movie. I think if someone were to make a low budget movie, going for cool characters above anything else is the way to go, cool doesn't cost anything really. The photography was also very well done, it felt kind of like a grainy home movie which really helped the tone. The camera is always close in, which should feel claustrophobic but it works here, feels like you are there hanging out in a crowded party. Stephen Graham (Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire, Babyface Nelson in Public Enemies) is always a joy to see, he has a quality that is like an annoying little brother you tolerate and hope to see him mature and get control over his emotions before he causes trouble. This is probably the best example of a kid being exploited by his own emotional angst, that he never took the time to understand exactly what he was angry about.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

My favourite British film. Sure, at times the acting is clunky (particularly amongst the child actors - who without exception improve in the TV sequels) but the ambience, the setting are pure nostalgic genius. The story hits home as a true part of Thatcher's legacy, with Stephen Graham's Combo bringing amazing insight and emotional power to his character, who is caught up in anti-pakistani sentiment of the time. Thomas Turgoose's acting is also worthy of note - unfortunately he has since failed to live up to his career's beginnings, however here he takes us with him as he struggles to find his place amongst the other characters in the story. The real shame is that Joe Gilgun doesn't have more screen time. His character, Woody, provides the perfect foil to Combo, but it isn't a relationship that is explored in any depth until the sequels. The relationship between Smell (a 15 year old girl) and Shawn (an 11 year old boy) has drawn some criticism, but that stuff happened, and probably still happens today. It was presented in a wholly realistic, if awkwardly acted, manner. As a political allegory it serves to remind us that once upon a time, not all that long ago, our perceived "enemies" were different to those today. Replacing anger towards "pakis" today with Eastern Europeans and Muslims. Shane Meadows has stated that the story unfolds as a reflection of his own childhood. This comes across in the film, which reminds me also of the dark times in my childhood in that period. I knew people like those depicted in the film, both those that embraced the racist rhetoric of the National Front, and those who saw past it and stayed out of the nonsense. Besides this, the clothing, the poor decoration in the homes, and the struggles of Shawn's mother against poverty are all spot on for the time.

Very genuine and honest movie! The ending is heartbreaking. Stephen Graham shows one of the strongest and best perfomances I have EVER seen. The inner conflict and vulnerability that he potrays as the character combo, is deeply moving, but in such a subtle way, that it becomes a very unique performance! One of my favorite movies!

This just flashed me, when i saw it. Genius amateur actors, so realistic, so raw

"This Is England" sounds like your typical British film concrete, plenty of rain, and of course the misery. In actuality, this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the film buzzes with energy and humor, while propelled by brilliant, engaging performances. It's 1983 and 12-year-old Shaun Field (Thomas Turgoose) is an isolated lad growing up in a grim coastal town, whose father has died fighting in the Falklands war. After being persistently bullied, he finds role models when those in the local skinhead scene take him in. With his new friends, Shaun discovers a world of parties, his first love, and a sense of belonging. Here he also meets Combo (Stephen Graham), an older, racist skinhead, who was recently released from prison. As Combo's gang harasses the local ethnic minorities, Shaun is a willing passenger. But When Combo ups the ante and his propensity for violence increases, Shaun must make some difficult choices. There are two standout performances. The first is from child actor Thomas Turgoose, whose raw energy and pugnacious attitude are perfect for the character of Shaun. There's never a moment's doubt that he fully inhabits the character. Equally strong is Stephen Graham as the demented, charismatic Combo. Graham conveys both critical aspects of his character: the allure and the contempt. Combo is more than a heartless street thug, and that understanding is what makes Graham's portrayal so powerful. Meadows sentimentalism has sometimes gotten the better of his work, with tears and needlessly punishing violence, but not **** film slows down and thickens as Shaun becomes embroiled in a subculture of hate in moments, it’s a little talky, but never loses its intensity. Shaun may embody hard times and bad breaks, but Mr. Meadows refuses to let him off the hook. His script and direction are virtually flawless. The one exception is the film's ending when it needlessly nails home the point once more, but no worries. The unrelenting heart and toughness of the film makes this one terrific British drama.

A film that digs into the heart and soul of human beings, that tests the limits and boundaries one will go to not only for friendship, but for love, This Is England is one of the defining films of the decade. It has the most influential, surprising and emotional performances of any film, and could certainly contend with being one of the best British films ever made. We are introduced to Shaun, a 12 year-old schoolboy who is dealing with the loss of his father in the Falklands war, and a boy who also has quite an attitude of not giving in when criticism or verbal abuse comes his way, the part played by Thomas Turgoose, and its safe to say you will be in awe of this young lads performance, his acting puts across this stubborn behaviour of Shaun, something which lands him in trouble, but also which introduces him to a group of youths in a tunnel, who immediately feel sorry for him and take the young lad under their wing. These group of people, led by Woody (Joseph Gilgun), are skinheads, the prominent and often highly publicised subculture of shaved head and punk style appearance. Shaun immediately fits in with the band of misfits, who are really a sympathetic bunch, but when Combo, a former member, is released from prison, he seeks to return to the old ways of taking an almost white supremacy stance, ridding their country of anyone who isn't British. The part of Combo is in my personal opinion the highlight of the film, his unpredictable yet heartwarming attitude with Shaun is portrayed in undeniable perfection by Stephen Graham. A scene involving himself and Turgoose as Shaun when they speak about how Combo will be there for him when others aren't is truly moving, and shot beautifully to capture the gritty effort going into the performances. But of course, This is England isn't without its brutality, and the language and violence, while minimal, truly show a glimpse of the life of these youths, and what they felt under the rule of Margaret Thatcher.Shane Meadows has truly created one of the finest films of the decade and shoots i na wonderful manner, but the performances, especially from Graham and Turgoose are exceptional, with the more candid and personal scenes being the standout parts. With the racial segregation and attitude of those that felt rage towards their countries political agenda are brought to light in the film and addressed, but for others there is also a light of acceptance shown for those who the wider world would believe wouldn't be a part of it, true human behaviour and emotional depth has been outlined in one of the finest films of this generation.

El espíritu adolescente siempre ha marcado momentos de angustia para los padres. Rebeldía, experimentación, búsqueda de identificación, llevar al límite las normas y entender, por las buenas o por las malas, este mundo que hay que caminar. This is England es una película que pareciera esculcar en un pasado reciente en Inglaterra, que buscara la génesis de un movimiento **** y problemáticas urbanas que han pasado de generación en generación; pero no, es una historia efervescente en lo clásico, entrañable en lo ya visto: un adolescente perdiendo su inocencia. La magia y el drama de las hormonas en desarrollo. Leer más en: ****/news/unos-ojos-un-momento-una-nacion/

Brilliant. Almost every scene is perfection. Contains intense scenes that slowly creep up on you. Right up there with Trainspotting I have to admit. Now i want to see the series that came after.

Gritty but believable and the characters are superbly acted. A true sense of what growing up in the miserable era of the early eighties was like. The concept has been done a million times over but rarely with this much aplomb.

The way Shane Meadows builds up tension and makes the viewer care about the characters in the story is truly amazing. A brilliant film where not much happens but every moment seems to stay in your head. The acting of Stephen Graham is exceptional as he manages to portray an intimidating and thuggish character but also succeeds in showing there is a reason behind it without blatantly saying it out loud.

British cinema, though underrated, is going from strength to strength. This is hard-hitting, thought-provoking and even occasionally funny. Thomas Turgoose isn't your typical English child actor, he doesn't have a RP accent or look seven years younger than his real age, but unlike the Freddie Highmoreâ

Seems a few people are going on about this group of skin heads being friends with a black person and that being unrealistic. The skinheads evolved in the 60s from the likes of the jamaican rudeboy culture. It was during the 70s strong contingents of skinheads aligned with neo ****. The period in which This Is England is based is when white power began to fade and anti racist skinhead groups began to emerge trying to bring it back to its roots. Also the kids in the film clearly hadnt been introduced to the neo **** side of skinhead culture yet. They grew up with Milky and had accepted him as one of their own. Its clear why theyre friends with him and the film is historically very accurate. Its also a great story.

Shane Meadows perfectly captures the 80s in England with his unflinching portrayal of the far-right movements of the time and the innocence of youth. Thomas Turgoose and Stephen Graham put in amazing lead roles which captivated me from the start.