This is a TV film by Alan Clarke but is just as good, if not better, than for example "The Firm" or "Scum" (I know many people might not agree on that)
You can sense from the start that it's a film by Alan Clarke and like Mike Leigh, the actors always seems to be at their best when working with Alan Clarke. This is true especially for Tim Roth in this film (his first role by the way) who has never been better. In fact I don't think I have seen a better performance by any other actor in any other film than Tim Roth´s acting here. This is partly due to the demanding role where he can show off his skills (a lot of anger) and because of Alan Clarke`s directing I suppose. After first seeing the film I thought that Tim Roth really was like this and that was the reason for his amazing performance. After seeing "Meantime" (by Mike Leigh) where he plays a quiet retard I realized that it wasn't so...
And for the film´s sake it's lucky that Tim Roth did as well as he did because this film had never worked without a good actor to portray Trevor. The whole film evolves around him and there is no real plot. It sometimes feels more like a documentary than a film and the one thing I can complain about is that there is no real story. But still it must be a good film since I still remember it this strongly.
The film is about the angry Skinhead teenager Trevor who seems to be in war with the world and hates everything - authorities, school, Pakis...
After throwing a brick through some poor Pakistani shop´s window he is sent to an assessment center, and it's here the film begins.
I'm not sure what to give this film. A part of me wants to give it 10/10 because I have seen it ten times and are still fascinated by it, but when I think and compare it to other good films I notice its lack of story and feel it might only deserve 5-6/10.
I can also feel like it romanticizes racists and racism but I guess that is only in the eye of the beholder...
I'll give it 9/10
You can sense from the start that it's a film by Alan Clarke and like Mike Leigh, the actors always seems to be at their best when working with Alan Clarke. This is true especially for Tim Roth in this film (his first role by the way) who has never been better. In fact I don't think I have seen a better performance by any other actor in any other film than Tim Roth´s acting here. This is partly due to the demanding role where he can show off his skills (a lot of anger) and because of Alan Clarke`s directing I suppose. After first seeing the film I thought that Tim Roth really was like this and that was the reason for his amazing performance. After seeing "Meantime" (by Mike Leigh) where he plays a quiet retard I realized that it wasn't so...
And for the film´s sake it's lucky that Tim Roth did as well as he did because this film had never worked without a good actor to portray Trevor. The whole film evolves around him and there is no real plot. It sometimes feels more like a documentary than a film and the one thing I can complain about is that there is no real story. But still it must be a good film since I still remember it this strongly.
The film is about the angry Skinhead teenager Trevor who seems to be in war with the world and hates everything - authorities, school, Pakis...
After throwing a brick through some poor Pakistani shop´s window he is sent to an assessment center, and it's here the film begins.
I'm not sure what to give this film. A part of me wants to give it 10/10 because I have seen it ten times and are still fascinated by it, but when I think and compare it to other good films I notice its lack of story and feel it might only deserve 5-6/10.
I can also feel like it romanticizes racists and racism but I guess that is only in the eye of the beholder...
I'll give it 9/10