Riff-Raff (1991)

The story of Stevie, a construction worker, and his girlfriend, an unemployed pop singer, serves to show the living conditions of the British poor class

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Bill Jesse (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Carlyle, Emer McCourt, Jim R. Coleman

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Carlyle	...	Stevie
Emer McCourt	...	Susan
Jim R. Coleman	...	Shem (as Jimmy Coleman)
George Moss	...	Mo
Ricky Tomlinson	...	Larry
David Finch	...	Kevin
Richard Belgrave	...	Kojo
Ade Sapara	...	Fiaman
Derek Young	...	Desmonde
Bill Moores	...	Smurph
Luke Kelly	...	Ken Jones
Gary Lammin	...	Mick (as Garrie J. Lammin)
Willie Ross	...	Gus Siddon
Dean Perry	...	Wilf
Dylan O'Mahony	...	Youth

Storyline

The story of Stevie, a construction worker, and his girlfriend, an unemployed pop singer, serves to show the living conditions of the British poor class

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Plot Keywords:

squatting | killing a rat | scaffold | singing audition | standing in the bath tub | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lim-lom

Filming Locations:

Deaconess Court, Tottenham Green East, Tottenham, London, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$295,444

Company Credits

Production Co:

Parallax Pictures, Channel Four Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The accents of the characters was so heavy that the film provided subtitles, even for British audiences.

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Goofs

Between 7:56 and 8:00 minutes into the movie, as Robert Carlyle enters his squat for the first time, you can clearly see the boom under the ceiling and the boom operator on the left as Robert walks by.

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Quotes

Gus Siddon: Well the crux of it is - if you clock on late, you'll clock off a bloody sight earlier, right? You got it? Thursday mornin's payday. It's also sackin' day. Be warned. We hire these skips, not for you lot to lean on - they've got to be filled. While I'm on about it, I trust none of you lot are signin' on as well.
Mo: I didn't think you could do that.
Gus Siddon: You'd be surprised what some of you bastards get up to. I've had my eyes opened a few times, I'll tell you that.
Shem: What type of things are you talkin' ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Executive Decision/Ed/Two Much/The Star Maker/Land and Freedom (1996)

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Soundtracks

Won't You Charleston With Me
Composed by Sandy Wilson

User Reviews

Tough in the trenches.

In some ways I felt as though I'd died and gone to heaven the first time I saw Riff Raff, an out and out honest look at working class men of varied, and sometimes dubious, backgrounds connected through their work on a construction sight in London.

The cast of characters defines the term 'mixed bag'. I couldn't help but think of a half dozen or so Archie Bunkers on the job site, each one with their own set of priorities, talking about the most important thing in the world, to no one but himself. It all brings a smile to my face.

Our closest look is at Stevie (Robert Carlyle of "The Full Monty"), a former petty thief, who works with a crew converting condos for the nouveau riche, while he's forced to break into an abandoned building just to find a place to squat.

Director Ken Loach expertly focuses on the lower class in Britain (witness his brilliant 1999 feature-"My Name is Joe") where the honesty laced with humor of his viewpoint tends to provide humanity to an otherwise ignored sect. To shine a bit of light on an otherwise dismal existence as it may.

Loach's characters are never overly redemptive: they don't hit the lottery; aren't left millions by a dead aunt; or marry a rich suitor. And the ending here is a bit short, trite. But they usually come through the film a little stronger having weathered their travails, feeling a little better about themselves. I dare say we come through feeling a little better about ourselves as well.