The Firm (2009)

Football hooligans organize themselves into firms that represent their favorite team.

Director:

Nick Love

Writers:

Al Ashton (original screenplay), Nick Love (adaptation)

Stars:

Paul Anderson, Calum MacNab, Daniel Mays

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Anderson	...	Bex
Calum MacNab	...	Dom
Daniel Mays	...	Yeti
Doug Allen	...	Trigger
Joe Jackson	...	Jay
Richie Campbell	...	Snowy
James Kelly	...	Beef
Jaf Ibrahim	...	Usef
Tommy Nash	...	Nunk
Eddie Webber	...	Bob
Camille Coduri	...	Shel
Billy Seymour	...	Terry
Joanne Matthews	...	Suzy
Ebony Gilbert	...	Justine
Michael Davis	...	Johnny

Storyline

Set in the 1980s, Dom is a teenager who finds himself drawn into the charismatic world of football 'casuals, influenced by the firm's top boy, Bex. Accepted by the gang for his fast mouth and sense of humor, Dom soon becomes one the boys. But as Bex and his gang clash with rival firms across the country and the violence spirals out of control, Dom realizes he wants out - until he learns it's not that easy to simply walk away.

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Plot Keywords:

hooliganism | football | violence | 1980s | sex | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Release Date:

18 September 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Sociedade

Filming Locations:

Ferrier Estate, Kidbrooke, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£310,060 (United Kingdom), 20 September 2009, Limited Release

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vertigo Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bex's estate agents is called Hunter Ashton & Clarke. Which is a nod to both the writer and the director of the 1989 original movie.

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Goofs

Towards the end of the film Bex and the rest of the firm are seen going into a London underground station and through some very modern looking ticket barriers.

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Quotes

Bex: [Terry bumps into Bex on the dance floor] Whoa. Sorry mate.
Terry: It's alright mate. Teach you to dance like a fucking melt though, won't it?
Bex: Slow down. I'm just cutting a rug with me wife.
Terry: [Terry looks at Bex' wife] What that?
Bex: No, you don't wanna make one with me mate. I'll fucking leave you behind.

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Connections

Remake of Screen Two: The Firm (1989)

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Soundtracks

Get Down On It
Written by Wilson Beckett, Kevin Bell, Ronald Bell (as Ronald Nathan Bell), Callie Cheek, Michael Cheek, Peter Duarte, Kevin Lassiter, Dennis White, Ray Wright
Performed by Kool & The Gang
Published by EMI Music Publishing Limited
Courtesy of Island Def Jam
(c) 1981

User Reviews

Nostalgia Trip That Is Painfully Anachronistic And Cynical But Watchable

Despite Nick Love being the most criticised film director working in Britain today his remake of THE SWEENEY has topped the UK film this week . Of course the fact that it's made a million quid at the box office is probably down to the title . If the film was called RAY WINSTIONE PLAYING HIMSELF SORTING OUT SOME NAUGHTY CRIMINALS it probably wouldn't have been such a success but hey there's nothing like a little cynicism if only to irritate and annoy the luvvie film critics who can't get enough poncy art house cinema. This film a remake of the highly regarded Alan Clarke drama from 1989 is a previous attempt to be cynical

Clarke was along with Loach and Leigh the master of British realist cinema . Wisely Love decides not to follow this type of directing style . Instead he shoots a movie that has a wonderful rich look. The cinematography by the ironically named Matt Gray gives the impression that we're seeing an up and coming Roger Deakins in action and one wonders why Gray is confined to television . It's the cinematography that will be your abiding memory of this film

The problem is that while you're watching the film and old enough to remember the 1980s you'll be forever scratching your head wondering what year it's set in . Characters walk around in shell suits which were once considered to be cool in about 1989 or 1990 . Likewise the hairstyles indicate that it's 1989-90 when the first film was set . But this illusion is contradicted by the musical soundtrack with artists likeSoft Cell , Tears For Fears and The Rock Steady Crew which gives the impression it's 1983 or 84 at the latest . Indeed there's a TV report that Leon Brittain is home secretary which means it's set in 1983-85 . As someone who was a teenager in this period let me tell you now there's no way anyone would have a shell suit or that type of hairstyle in the early to mid 1980s . These anachronistic aspects are totally distracting . This is a pity because it tends to ruin the first half of the movie . The second half does borrow heavily from the original teleplay but no doubt anyone who can remember the original will say the original was better and harder hitting

This is a great shame because it's something of a brave decision by Love to retell the story from the point of view from Dom who was a relatively minor character from the 1989 FIRM . Cynics might say that's because there's no way someone of Love's reputation could get someone of the stature of an up and coming Gary Oldman to carry the film as the main character , can you imagine Danny Dyer as Bex ! . As it stands it's a much better looking and better made film than Love's 2007 effort OUTLAW and is fairly watchable