This Is England

2006

Action / Crime / Drama

38
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 89% · 96 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 89% · 50K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.7/10 10 134316 134.3K

holiday racism gang unemployment summer nottingham

Plot summary

A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends, even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.

Director

Shane Meadows Photo
Shane Meadows

Top cast

Jack O'Connell Photo
Jack O'Connell as Pukey Nicholls
Jo Hartley Photo
Jo Hartley as Cynth
Michael Socha Photo
Michael Socha as Bully
Thomas Turgoose Photo
Thomas Turgoose as Shaun
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
549.15 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 41 min
Seeds 19
1.89 GB
1920*1040
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
24 fps
1 hr 42 min
Seeds 60

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by antplate 9 / 10

Bitter sweet rites of passage story set to skinheads

'This is England' is a must see for the type of persons who enjoy a good old 'innocence of youth' narrative (including a very comedic, almost cringe inducing, 'first kiss' scene) layered with powerful retrospective British realism reflecting early 1980's societal issues of the type that you wont see on any saccharin dipped 'i remember 1982' clip show.Based largely around the 'skinhead' activities of the early eighties its interesting to note that the story really draws distinctions between the types of skinheads - the nazi/racist and the two-tone/soul loving skinheads.Much like Mr Meadows other outings which tend to include a lot of relatively unknown and TV only actors/actresses, they all throw in sterling performances, particularly Stephen 'snatch' Graham as 'Combo'(sp.?) and the unknown Thomas Turgoose as young 'Sean'(sp?).The soundtrack is as usual strategically lined up to help convey with the overall look and feel, with musical styles ranging from reggae (toots and the maytals), punk and two tone. It does however include new music presumably for a soundtrack album sales point of view, what with the most underrated Clayhill covering The Smiths(?).overall: its as retrospective sharp as it is thought provoking, so if you lived anywhere near this time then see it: you may just like it. I you didn't then learn from this time in history when skin heads were either very open minded or very closed minded.
Reviewed by stensson 8 / 10

Skins in Thatcherland

The skinhead culture fascinates many directors and it's understandable. It's one of the few remaining subcultures in the West, much because of the Nazi connections.But the skins in this movie aren't political and no racists to start with. One of the gang members is even black. They live in a happy community in the early 80s, having fun and being together in a totally grey unfriendly working class environment. It's very hopeful and the 12-year-old finds himself accepted for the first time in his life. His longing for the dead father of the Falklands war is somewhat replaced.But darkness arrives with the skin veteran who comes back from jail. And there are conflicts between the racist fraction and the others. But whatever this is, it's not black and white. The characters are much more complicated.Much has been said about young Thomas Turgoose as the 12-year-old. He's very good but the great portrait is by Stephen Graham as the old/new gang leader. Absolutely brilliant work.
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