This Is England (2006)

A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.

Director:

Shane Meadows

Writer:

Shane Meadows

Stars:

Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 14 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Turgoose	...	Shaun
Stephen Graham	...	Combo
Jo Hartley	...	Cynth
Andrew Shim	...	Milky
Vicky McClure	...	Lol
Joseph Gilgun	...	Woody (as Joe Gilgun)
Rosamund Hanson	...	Smell
Andrew Ellis	...	Gadget
Perry Benson	...	Meggy
George Newton	...	Banjo
Frank Harper	...	Lenny
Jack O'Connell	...	Pukey Nicholls
Kriss Dosanjh	...	Mr. Sandhu
Kieran Hardcastle	...	Kes
Chanel Cresswell	...	Kelly

Storyline

This is England: Mods, New Romantics, and Skinheads are the major youth sub-cultures of this very English summer of 1983 and young 12-year-old Shaun is left wandering aimlessly alone and lost during the start of his school holidays, until his chance meeting with Woody and his fun and friendly Skinhead pack. Finding a new lease of life; girls, parties, Ben Sherman shirts, Doc Martin boots and shaven hairstyles young Shaun is welcomed, life during this summer holiday has got a whole lot better. That is until Combo arrives on the scene bitter, dangerous, racist, militant and psychotic life for young Shaun has just approached his first major crossroads. This is England is a look back at the early eighties of British working-class life through the eyes of young Shaun and his new gang, and dealing with the bitterness of outside influences such as racism and xenophobia, of mass unemployment and the fall out of the Falkland's War; Thatcher's Britain: Did we ever have it so good? When you see ...

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Plot Keywords:

skinhead | school | gang | england | racist | 

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Taglines:

Run with the crowd, stand alone, you decide.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 2007 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ovo je Engleska

Filming Locations:

Boston, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$18,430 (USA) (27 July 2007)

Gross:

$327,919 (USA) (16 November 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warp Films, Big Arty Productions, EM Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is dedicated to Thomas Turgoose's mother, Sharon, who died in 2005.

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Goofs

Blockbusters, the popular 80s game-show the gang are seen to be watching didn't actually debut on TV until 29 August 1983 - over a month after the events in which the film is set.

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Quotes

Combo: What do you think makes a bad father?
Milky: I don't know. How about you, what do you think?
Combo: Niggers.
[Starts beating and kicking Milky to within an inch of his life]

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Connections

References The 400 Blows (1959)

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Soundtracks

Dietro casa
Written, Composed and Performed by Ludovico Einaudi
Published by Chester Music Limited
Courtesy of Decca Music Group
Licensed by kind permission from the Film & TV Licensing Division
Part of the Universal Music Group

User Reviews

Bitter sweet rites of passage story set to skinheads

'This is England' is a must see for the type of persons who enjoy a good old 'innocence of youth' narrative (including a very comedic, almost cringe inducing, 'first kiss' scene) layered with powerful retrospective British realism reflecting early 1980's societal issues of the type that you wont see on any saccharin dipped 'i remember 1982' clip show.

Based largely around the 'skinhead' activities of the early eighties its interesting to note that the story really draws distinctions between the types of skinheads - the nazi/racist and the two-tone/soul loving skinheads.

Much like Mr Meadows other outings which tend to include a lot of relatively unknown and TV only actors/actresses, they all throw in sterling performances, particularly Stephen 'snatch' Graham as 'Combo'(sp.?) and the unknown Thomas Turgoose as young 'Sean'(sp?).

The soundtrack is as usual strategically lined up to help convey with the overall look and feel, with musical styles ranging from reggae (toots and the maytals), punk and two tone. It does however include new music presumably for a soundtrack album sales point of view, what with the most underrated Clayhill covering The Smiths(?).

overall: its as retrospective sharp as it is thought provoking, so if you lived anywhere near this time then see it: you may just like it. I you didn't then learn from this time in history when skin heads were either very open minded or very closed minded.