This Is England (2006)

Directed by: Shane Meadows | 101 minutes | drama, crime | Actors: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley, Andrew Shim, Vicky McClure, Joseph Gilgun, Rosamund Hanson, Andrew Ellis, Perry Benson, George Newton, Frank Harper, Jack O’Connell, Kriss Dosanjh, Kieran Hardcastle, Chanel Cresswell, Danielle Watson, Sophie Ellerby, Hannah Walters, Dave Laws, Michael Socha, Ian Smith, Dave Blant, Matthew Blamires, James Burrows, Harpal Hayer, Terry Haywood, Nimesh Jani

Did you know that the skinheads were originally a very peaceful movement? Their anarchistic traits were expressed in a bit of mischief at most, but in principle they didn’t hurt a fly. In a time of poverty and unemployment – ​​we’re talking about the ultra-liberal reign of Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher in the late 1970s and early 1980s – the outcasts of society sought affection. Together they discussed their ideals and shared their love for (mostly Jamaican) music (reggae, ska and rocksteady). They distinguish themselves from, for example, the punks by their clothing (Dr. Martens, braces and shirts by Fred Perry and Ben Sherman). Only a small group of extremists, driving a wedge in this movement, managed to tarnish the skinhead’s name forever. Due to the media’s influence that should not be underestimated, when we hear the word ‘skinhead’ we now think of aggressive, hairy hooligans with bald heads and bodies full of tattoos, who are either affiliated with an extreme right-wing organization or have similar ideas. Much to the chagrin of the real skinheads.

Filmmaker Shane Meadows was once a skinhead himself. As a young lad he entered the movement in the early eighties. For a moment he threatened to slide into the extremist side. It was precisely about that period in his life that he made the film ‘This Is England’ (2006). The story is set in the English Midlands, in the summer of 1983. Twelve-year-old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) is an outcast. Among all the punks at school, he is the only one who still wears wide-leg pants. He has no friends. Since the death of his father, who died in the Falklands War, he has been extra wary and although he is small in stature, he bites off by berating his attackers harshly. His aggressive attitude appeals to Woody (Joe Gilgun) and his buddies. They are skinheads, anarchists who just hang out all day. They take the much younger Shaun into their group with love and he feels camaraderie for the first time in his life. Shaun gets the complete look – including bald head – and experiences his first romance. The tide turns when Woody’s old friend Combo (Stephen Graham) returns after a long captivity. Combo is an unpredictable barrel of gunpowder and with his extreme right-wing ideas he drives the close group of friends apart. He cleverly plays on Shaun’s emotions and knows how to win him over. You can tell a 12-year-old boy anything and soon Shaun is taken to National Front rallies and is complicit in the threat and robbery of a Pakistani shop owner…

In ‘This Is England’ the personal story of Shane Meadows against the background of the Thatcher era is revealed. The film begins and closes with historical (news) images, which immediately set the realistic tone and atmosphere. Meadows delivers a gem with this film. Thanks to his own experiences, he manages to create an extremely nuanced picture of a subculture that everyone seems to have an opinion about. The original skinheads have nothing to do with their far-right counterparts and clearly distance themselves from them. In the film, they even have a Jamaican (Andrew Shim) in their midst. On top of that, Meadows hasn’t made his characters clearly “good” and “bad” either. Combo may be a racist asshole, but his bond with Shaun is genuine and fatherly. In addition, Meadows lifts a corner of the veil about how he got to this point. No character can be pigeonholed and that is what makes the film so realistic and penetrating. Complemented by a fantastic soundtrack and raw, unadorned images that are only sporadically provided with an appropriate style effect, Meadows upholds the honor of British filmmakers. Socially engaged veterans Ken Loach and Mike Leigh have now found their successor in Shane Meadows, who shows the same passionate commitment.

The superb acting – by a largely unknown cast – makes ‘This Is England’ even stronger and more penetrating than it already is. This is his first role for the very young Thomas Turgoose, but he plays as if his life depended on it. That Turgoose’s own character does not differ much from that of his character is shown by the fact that he was expelled from the play at his school for bad behavior. He also dared to ask five pounds for the auditions. Meadows definitely got his money’s worth as Turgoose is a rare natural with a particularly expressive appearance, exemplifying the typical boy from the British working-class environment. This diamond in the rough won the Most Promising New Actor award at the British Independent Film Awards for a reason. But his opponents can also be there. Stephen Graham is perhaps the most famous of the bunch – he starred in ‘Snatch’ (2000) and ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002) among others. The Combo he puts down is a charismatic appearance that overwhelms you when his frustrations and anger take over. Yet he also shows his softer, emotional side. Also convince Joe Gilgun, Vicky McClure (as Woody’s girlfriend Lol) and Andrew Shim. Thanks in part to the formidable work of the entire cast, ‘This Is England’ has become such a poignant film.

‘This Is England’ took home the award for best British film at the BAFTAs. And that while there are so many great films coming out of the UK! Shane Meadows delivers a strong drama, taken from the heart and from life. The acting is superb, as is the soundtrack. The ending grabs you by the throat and won’t let go. Have you ever seen a young boy grow up so quickly? Emotion, anxiety and confrontation; this nuanced image of the turbulent early eighties has it all. ‘This Is England’ is a film not to be missed!