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

It is widely believed the term NED to be an acronym for Non Educated Delinquent. This is inaccurate and came about mostly due to its use by a Scottish MP in the early 2000s, it's use today is rather a backronym with the term NED dating back to the depression in Glasgow in the 1930s alongside Teddy Boys. It is now more accurately thought to have been derived from Edwardian because of the fashion at the time of the many Glaswegian street gangs.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

Mr. McLeod: Take your seats. And stop your crying. Why is it that whenever a boy is sent to this class he seems to think he's in the beginning of a never-ending downward spiral to failure? Now, I'm starting to take this personally! I am just as bloody good as any other teacher in this or any other bloody school!

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Connections

Features La maison de Toutou (1966)

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Soundtracks

You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
Written by Tony Macaulay (as Mac) and Geoff Stephens (as Stephens)
Performed by The New Seekers

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