Movie Melting Pot…’This is England’ (UK, 2006)

Shane Meadows’ 2006 film ‘This is England’ is a remarkably chilling look at impoverished teenagers, a harrowing look at the filmmaker’s own country of his youth.

Set in 1983, the film is based on Meadows’ own experiences growing up in the time of the British National Front. Â  In case you don’t know what that is, it is a far-right political party in Britain that only allows whites. Â  It claimed its most amount of power during the ’70s and early ’80s. Â  

‘This is England’ tells the story of a 12-year-old boy, Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) who lives with his widowed mother. Â  His father has died in the Falkland War. Â  On his way home from school one day, Shaun runs into a group of skinheads lead by the charismatic Woody (Joseph Gilgun). Â  Woody sympathizes with Shaun, and the group quickly takes Shaun in as one of their own.

Everything seems to be going fine with the group until Combo (Stephen Graham), the former leader of the group, is released from prison. Â  Combo is sadistic, an openly racist and ethnically hateful militant who follows the ideology of white nationalism like the Bible. Â  Soon after returning to the group, Combo enforces his leadership, splitting the group in two, the non-politicals led by Woody, and the National Front-tied skinheads led by Combo . Â  For a short while, Shaun is pulled between these two, each one trying to win the boy over. Â  

Eventually, however, Shaun decides to stay with Combo. Â   Soon after, the group led by Combo begins down a deep, dark path of violence and eventually murder.

‘This is England’ is Meadows’ ode to his own childhood. Â  The filmmaker captures the harsh realities of the time and the dark background of the seemingly upbeat, early ’80s with amazing direction. Â  

It is a film that, despite its dark nature, proves itself to also serve as a rather poignant coming of age tale. Â  We see this world Shaun’s impressionable eyes. Â  We see the options he must weigh, and, although we disagree, we understand the decisions he makes. Â  Shaun is a lost child, a vulnerable boy who has lost his father and doesn’t really know his mother. Â  He needs something in his life, some kind of guidance, and the skinheads who befriend him give him exactly what he needs.

The acting in ‘This is England’ is what also makes the film so moving.   This was Turgoose’s first film, and the child, though playing an adolescent, brings a sincere maturity to the role.   A funny sidenote for Turgoose is that the child, having never acted before, had been banned from his school play for “behaving badly” and even demanded  Ã‚ £5 to show up for auditions for the film.   Needless to say, he was perfect for the part.

The real standouts, however, are Gilgun and Graham as the oppossing forces tearing the young protagonist apart. Â  Both actors bring a high level of charisma to their respective part. Â  This is more difficult for Graham whose sadistic character must be all the more charming if we are to believe he can win Shaun’s heart, but Graham pulls the role off masterfully.

Driven by its mature filmmaking, its fine acting, and even an eccentricly cool yet appropriate soundtrack, ‘This is England’ is an excellent film. Â  It is an unforgiving yet affecting look at a lost society and the dangerous men who decided to show it some attention. Â  It is a film about pride, regret, and, ultimately, the loneliness of being proven wrong. Â  This truly is England.