Comments on: Tribeca Movie Review: This Is England

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:10:37 +0000

I really enjoyed the film and related to the theme having been brought up in that era. I get the impression that a lot of the scenes included a lot of improvisation and although this generally worked sometimes made the acting look questionable. As as for Milky ditching his girlfriend to go for a smoke with the racist Combo? YES THAT IS IMPROBABLE!

By: Marcus!

Marcus! — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:57:18 +0000

I check /film every hour or two and love it but how can you give this review. This movie is very good. Rewatch it. The music is great along with the scenes and how you can fault the acting is beyond me.

By: Toria

Toria — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:11:54 +0000

I really don’t understand what this reviewer was talking about. I found all the characters really believable, why shouldn’t some skinheads be nice? Stephen Graham was just amazing and I found the whole thing incredibly moving even though I’m too young to remember the 80’s.

By: OZ

OZ — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:05:35 +0000

Terrible review. This was a great film.

You doubt that any skinheads could have been nice characters. However, the roots of the skin culture came from racial union, and an embrace of other cultures. The movement changed in its later years.

So many things about this review make me angry. You clearly are not English, and do not understand this film, otherwise you wouldn’t have called the characters Cockney. They are from Nottingham/Grimsby.

You criticise the musical montages in the film, yet skinhead culture was originally based on Ska and Reggae, exactly the music on the soundtrack to this film. I’m sure many a skinhead walked around their depressing, grey towns with Toots & The Maytals in their heads.

And you even go as far as to criticise Stephen Graham (Combo). His performance is incredible.

If you’re going to write reviews, do your research.

Review Rating: 3 out of 10

By: Scumfuck77

Scumfuck77 — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 03:07:49 +0000

I thought the movie was good but the sound track was off, two-tone was dead in 83 and they didn’t have any oi or RAC(skrewdriver and ovaltinees were big in 83′). I also felt that skinheads really wouldn’t listen to toots and the maytails and that praise the Jah song even when they listened moslty to ska and two-tone.

By: Rick

Rick — Mon, 14 May 2007 10:37:11 +0000

One would have to know about life in England and Europe in general to understand this movie. Skinheads are everywhere, racist and non-racist. Some are very good people, some not. Perhaps this movie will show that all Skinheads are not bad people.

By: Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin — Thu, 10 May 2007 08:42:05 +0000

Erlend, like the two other posters I was too young at the time also to remember that period. So as has been stated, your argument is indeed redundant.

“You guysâ€™ critique of the review isnâ€™t much too brag about either”
No-one is bragging!

The fact of the matter, is that the reviewer is just plain wrong. There’s nothing constructive about any of their comments, and as has been stated, they are incredibly misinformed. Their lack of knowledge about the period they are talking about absolutely shines through.

But to be honest, you completely undermine everything you say by noting that because a few people agree on something, it makes them like sheep. I’ve not read a more ridiculous comment on the Internet all day, and I go on AICN!

By: Erlend

Erlend — Thu, 10 May 2007 07:42:58 +0000

Just for the record: I’m Norwegian.

By: Matthew Nash

Matthew Nash — Thu, 10 May 2007 05:32:27 +0000

I was a small child at the time presented in the film, too young to get involved in fashions/music/drinking etc. Yet it utterly resonated with me.

It does seem that Americans get extra harsh on UK films for some reason. You’ll swallow up any old piece of cheese that Hollywood gives you, yet we produce something like this and you still bash it.

By: kenada

kenada — Thu, 10 May 2007 00:20:48 +0000

Erlend, we are not acting like sheep, we are giving a good film the recognition it deserves. I didn’t even grow up during that period which makes your argument redundant.

All I can deduct from your comment is that you are an American offended by our response to the grossly misguided and uninformed review.

By: Erlend

Erlend — Wed, 09 May 2007 22:57:32 +0000

You guys’ critique of the review isn’t much too brag about either. What are you really saying besides “I was there, there were nice skinheads too”? I’m pretty sure the reviewer knew. Your arguments â€“ you all agree so wholeheartedly, it is embarrassing to see people acting like sheep â€“ are weak, they donâ€™t stop the film from being an unsuccessful piece of social realism. Just because you feel a narcissistic joy when seeing your childhoods on the screen with the music you love, doesn’t mean youâ€™re entitled to bash a review which is pointing out that it didn’t work on film. Oi oi.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:34:40 +0000

U.S. reviewers misses the whole point shocker.

Sure the awful American History X might sum up US skins and Romper Stomper our Aussie cousins, but they miss the whole point of the country which originated the Skins movement.

Here it was all about working classed lads and lasses adopting black Jamaican
styles, that’s why we were all mad for ska (black), loved bands like the Specials (with black members), and cut our hair sort like the sons of Jamaican immigrants (black too).

It wasn’t until arses like the BM, and NF started to hijack it that any neo-nazi tendencies crept in. Crying shame too.

This is England touched my cropped haired heart, Meadows has hit the nail right on the head. Maybe you had to be there to realise that.

Just like to point out that there’s tons of non-racist skins still around England, listening to the same old tunes and enjoying every moment of it. Oi! Oi!

By: Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin — Tue, 08 May 2007 21:16:52 +0000

Seems the consensus is that this reviewer shouldn’t give up his day job. Well, unless reviewing is his day, in which he case he definitely should give it up.

Also, good call on Dead Mans Shoes. A Room For Romeo Brass is also excellent, and worth a watch.

By: Nekro

Nekro — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:29:32 +0000

your review is poorly written, i’d give it 1/10

as for this is england, it’s the best film i’ve seen since shane meadows last feaure (dead man’s shoes) and i’d give it 9/10

get a clue!

By: Geoffrey Fleming

Geoffrey Fleming — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:28:17 +0000

Also just a quick note for anyone who enjoyed this movie look up Dead Mans Shoes by the same director an absolutley stunning revenge flick with a twist almost as good as Fight Club or Usual Suspects.

IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/

By: Matthew Nash

Matthew Nash — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:09:09 +0000

This has to be one of the most laughable reviews I have ever read. The film is one of the finest out of the UK this decade, and is nearer to 10/10 than 3/10. Considering the plastic acting that comes out of most of Hollywank these days, it is an utter joke to call the acting in this insincere. In fact offhand I don’t think I have seen a more ‘real’ film ever.

By: Geoffrey

Geoffrey — Mon, 07 May 2007 12:55:44 +0000

**SPOILERS BELOW**

2/10? Please tell me you are joking? This Is England was an excellently written, directed and performed movie. The Skinheads portrayed in this movie aren’t the most common kind people refer to when talking about skinheads (racist thugs) the original skinheads were just a fashion statement and not the racist thugs they are now hence the dark member only getting killed at the end by the guy who was released from prison who was the first batch of what was to become skinheads today.

Being American would NOT help you understand this movie better its a terrifingly accurate portrayal of England in the 80s. That kid deserved an Oscar for his performance and it was his first movie too.

By: kenada

kenada — Mon, 07 May 2007 11:46:51 +0000

I wholeheartedly disagree with this review, This is England was a good film.

By: Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin — Mon, 07 May 2007 09:27:09 +0000

I’m guessing your note English, and didn’t experience the 80’s in England. Some of your criticisms are borderline laughable. It’s little suprise that people outside the UK would find the film difficult to relate to, but I didn’t expect it to be misunderstood. You seem to think all skinheads were hooligans, seemingly overlooking that they were a cultural movements, much like goths, mods and rockers.

You make many criticisms, yet don’t justiy them.

For example:
“The characters make choices that do not make any sense whatsoever and enter improbable situations.”

Bit vague isn’t it? If you’d done any research, you know that this story is based on Shane Meadows own childhood. So for all the ‘unrealism’ you feel the film has, well that completely undermines it.

By: Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin — Mon, 07 May 2007 09:23:04 +0000

You make many criticisms, yet don’t justiy them.

For example:
“The characters make choices that do not make any sense whatsoever and enter improbable situations.”

Bit vague isn’t it?