All that you can leave behind
Added 11/21/2009
What's up with really bad endings? I guess I'm supposed to say spoiler alert, because I'm really just going to complain about the end. But knowing the end sucks won't spoil this movie, so whatever.
Most of this movie is quite good--a seemingly fair look at a subculture that's well cast and well acted. At the end, however, we're fed some inspiring audio and video as the kid throws away the flag he once admired--or thought he admired. That's a terribly reactionary thing to do--merely an extension of what he's been fed. I think the implication is that he's made some sort of really important decision not to end up like Combo, but in fact he's doing exactly what Combo might have done. Changing flags doesn't change anything at all. Which isn't necessarily an awful thing, but trying to sell me on it as a viewer is. In situations like the ones in this movie where there's nothing good to be had other than the people themselves and maybe the clothes, I'd really rather the film left it at that.
England might suck, but I'm not buying.
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Movie This Is England
Added 10/21/2009
Recently saw this movie through my netflix account, and my 19 year old fell in love with it! Very excited to be able to find it on Amazon for an amazing price for his birthday.
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Informative Where Other Skinhead Films Deviate
Added 9/14/2009
While well done and informative about England's 1980s skinhead recession era, the pace was fairly slow. Significant to note is the storyline sticks to the true non-racist basis of the skinheads for the most part, though when the original gang founder returns to reclaim his territory he brings a new more harm-filled credo. The development of his story clearly compromises that of others in the film, which weakens the overall plot. In the end the story demonstrates that at the heart of any extremist group is a mentally unstable leader.
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Take it as 'skinhead slice-of-life'
Added 9/3/2009
Firstly, how old does it make you feel when film-makers are making loving paeans to ye bygone era of... 1983? Anyhow, if you were part of the culture then, or an enthusiast after-the-fact then this film will charm you. And its depiction of the place and time are spot on: the music, the fashion, the hopelessness, the petty vandalism, the war-as-nationalistic-diversion of the Falklands, and the National Front. It's an 80's punk rock song all grandly recreated, lacking none of the grit of the era's subject matter. Sprinkle in the classic coming-of-age story with the evil-guy-outta-jail-comes-back theme and the film is absorbed so easily, save for the brutality of the story. Very watchable, highly entertaining, if possibly the slightest bit cliche (but if you aren't familiar with Toots & The Maytals or Fred Perry shirts then nix that comment.) It's funny to see Americans getting upset because they can't relate. This story, though thoroughly English (thus the title) really has enough universality to not let the "funny accents" be a stumbling block. Sit down, turn it on, and get spirited away to a time & place that happily hasn't fallen far from the minds of those that lived the "no future" and had to decide, each for themselves, how to press on.
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Breathe Taking
Added 7/21/2009
A must see movie. Hard to find in U.S. Best Buy does't even have the movie in its internet database. Thank you Amazon for having this great movie available. I ordered this movie, and it was at my front door in barely 24 hours! Amazing movie and amazing delivery speed!
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