ALLAN HUNTER at the Movies

OVER THE past decade, Shane Meadows has matured into one of Britain’s best film makers. His films manage to reflect intensely personal experiences and yet speak universal truths.

Crude vigilante drama ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ (2004) may have divided critics and left audiences indifferent, but Meadows is right back on form with ‘This Is England’, a provocative journey into the underbelly of Thatcher’s England in the 1980s.

Initially, ‘This Is England’ appears to be a return to the beautifully observed, heartwarming comedy of Meadows early work as we come to know eleven year-old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose).

Shaun’s father has been killed during the Falklands conflict, but the stroppy, put upon youngster finds a supportive, surrogate family in a gang of harmless older skinheads who befriend him.

Soon, he has shaved his head and adopted their uniform. Everything changes when the gang is joined by the magnetic Combo (Stephen Graham). Straight out of prison, Combo doesn’t just wear the uniform of the skinhead, he has a passionate commitment to the political agenda of the National Front and believes that actions speak louder than words.

‘This Is England’ is distinguished by some brilliant, heartrending performances, especially from the highly believable Thomas Turgoose and Stephen Graham as Combo.

Combo may commit some appalling acts, but he is never depicted as a monster. Graham makes him disturbingly human in his irrational swings from viciousness to vulnerability and his performance haunts the memory.

‘This Is England’ is a film that darkens from warm humour to stark terror as it explores racism, jingoism and a nation’s fractured sense of its own identity. It will stand as one of the films of the year.

Selected nationwide release

Director: Shane Meadows
Stars: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley, Andrew Shim, Vicky
McClure, Joe Gilgun
Screenwriters: Shane Meadows
Certificate: 18
Running time: 102 mins
Country: UK
Year: 2006

© Allan Hunter, 2007