Carlin (Ray Winstone), Davis (Julian Firth) and Angel (Alrick Riley) are transferred to a borstal where there is a hierarchy amongst the inmates that is already in place, and the prison warders and all associated with authority run a bullying regime. How do the three new recruits cope?
From the beginning, the audience is on the side of Carlin. The way he is treated by the authorities and "The Daddy" Banks (John Blundell) and his cronies is so appalling that you cannot help but sympathise with him. His subsequent actions, although violent, are only to be applauded! Overall, it's a downbeat film with some upsetting scenes, eg, the rape scene in the greenhouse and the two suicides. Do we really need to see all that blood? The character of Archer (Mick Ford) doesn't quite work. A smug, smart-arse intellectual inside a borstal like that would get battered. I also found it difficult to take the character of Eckersley (Ray Burdis) seriously, especially after seeing Burdis in the comedy series "Operation Good Guys" where he is a figure of fun. The film is worth a watch but if you don't like seeing blood, stay away. There is also plenty of racism and you lose count of the number of times that you hear "you black bastard" - it's almost a catchphrase! The film ends on a downbeat note.
From the beginning, the audience is on the side of Carlin. The way he is treated by the authorities and "The Daddy" Banks (John Blundell) and his cronies is so appalling that you cannot help but sympathise with him. His subsequent actions, although violent, are only to be applauded! Overall, it's a downbeat film with some upsetting scenes, eg, the rape scene in the greenhouse and the two suicides. Do we really need to see all that blood? The character of Archer (Mick Ford) doesn't quite work. A smug, smart-arse intellectual inside a borstal like that would get battered. I also found it difficult to take the character of Eckersley (Ray Burdis) seriously, especially after seeing Burdis in the comedy series "Operation Good Guys" where he is a figure of fun. The film is worth a watch but if you don't like seeing blood, stay away. There is also plenty of racism and you lose count of the number of times that you hear "you black bastard" - it's almost a catchphrase! The film ends on a downbeat note.