Neds (2010)

Encompassed by violent street gangs, neglectful parents, bullying teachers and a dearth of positive role models, a studious but emotionally abandoned kid turns thug.

Director:

Peter Mullan

Writer:

Peter Mullan

Stars:

Conor McCarron, Greg Forrest, Joe Szula

7 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Conor McCarron	...	John McGill
Greg Forrest	...	Young John (as Gregg Forrest)
Joe Szula	...	Benny McGill
Mhairi Anderson	...	Elizabeth
Gary Milligan	...	Canta
John Joe Hay	...	Fergie
Christopher Wallace	...	Wee T
Richard Mack	...	Gerr
Paul Smith	...	Key Man
Khai Nugent	...	Tam
Ryan Walker	...	Sparra
Lee Fanning	...	Minty
Ross Greig	...	Fifey
Greg McCreadie	...	Tora
Scott Ingram	...	Casper

Storyline

Despite having a drunken, abusive father and a brother who leads a local gang John McGill is a studious boy for whom a bright educational future beckons. As he grows into his teenage years, the challenges of youth mixed with the challenges of being brought up in a tribal and violent place right at the low end of the class spectrum take their toll. John is a fighter, which although isn't what his Mother, at least, wishes for him; may it prove to be what brings him salvation?

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Plot Keywords:

abusive father | bridge | brother brother relationship | kissing | broken window | 

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Taglines:

From award-winning director Peter Mullan

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-14

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film uses "Non-Educated DelinquentS" as a "backronym" for "neds" as it is commonly used in modern day Scotland since the 90s. The English equivalent is chav. Many people including police officials and politicians (including famously Rosie Kane MSP) have discussed the term ned using this definition. As the term ned has been used far longer and dates back to the 19th century according to the OED it is not proven that this is the true origin of the term.

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Goofs

The male characters should have longer hair as the story is set in the 1970s.

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Quotes

Aunt Beth: They love us 'cause we tell it like it is, and we don't bow down to anybody.

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Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 12 January 2011 (2011)

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Soundtracks

This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Written by Ron Mael
Performed by Sparks

User Reviews

A different style of this type of film

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

John (Connor McCarron) excels as a child in his studies, but the rough, hard environment around him soon has an effect on his personal character and, as he grows up in 1970s Glasgow, he moulds into one of the pack, as problems at home and school breed the violent character within him, going up against the hard drinking, knife wielding thugs that are the sworn enemies of the hard drinking, knife wielding thugs he's in with.

Glasgow still holds the notorious accolade of being 'the knife crime capital of Great Britain', so this could have been just as hard hitting and unflinching as it was setting out to be being a modern day drama. Instead, director Peter Mullan has presented a sprawling, overlong if I'm brutally honest, exploration of a young man's despairing, senseless dessension into mindless thuggery, possibly based on his own experiences. As a result of this, it comes off as very hard to get into to start with, lost as it is in it's own mood, atmosphere and style. But it's these same things that somehow manage to make it a more absorbing experience if you stick with it long enough, slowly drawing you into the life of this troubled character and the various ups and downs he encounters as he trawls through the rough landscape of his youth. Still, this feels like quite an undisciplined effort from Mullan, which veers into outlandish, arty moments (such as the lead character duking it out with the Lord Jesus Christ) that only serve to make it an even more alienating experience than it already is. ***

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK France Italy

Language:

English Scots Latin

Release Date:

20 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Neds

Filming Locations:

Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP4,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,019,939

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blue Light, Fidélité Films, StudioUrania

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1