It's not the most exciting of films and moves at a steady pace, but it's not boring. Ricky Tomlinson's character lays the socialist mantra a bit thick, it's a heavy theme running through the whole of the film, but it gets reinforced in a convincing way by the great actors. This is my favorite Loach film, so if you're looking for a recommendation and have a chance, watch this.
shareTomlinson does not lay it on too thick!
He has been in this situation in real life dozens of times
and he was playing it how it really was.
Great Film!
I did say a bit thick not too thick. Socialism is a core theme that's not too popular. He was correct, workers should have rights protecting them from injury and mistreatment at work. But because his message was so energized and perhaps even a tad revolutionary, I don't think the truth of his message really sank in before the rest of the men saw him face the consequences.
shareAnd it's now got a thread. I think it's a great film, I love it when Robert Carlyle's talking about his plans for the future and says 'I'm doing labouring, just temporary.... labouring....crap, boxer shorts ... good'. And Emer McCourt was fantastic. This is a little masterpiece.
'Give in to lust, heaven knows we'll soon be dust'
My favorite scene is the funeral. "Well, If you like, but be careful now." lol
I was worried this film might get buried with the vhs format, but I found a dvd from back in 2002 with a bit of searching. A bit disappointing the dvd doesn't have more features. English subtitles was about all.
Larry :You can’t go round charging £5 to go to the bank, for Christ’s sake. Prince Charles wouldn’t charge that.
Fiaman: Drink your tea, sir.
Completely disagree with the 'Las Vegas' review titled 'White Trash'. I admit, some labourers - as portrayed in Riff-Raff - can have an apathetic attitude to life, but most will so any sh*t work that comes along in order to earn a crust. I speak from experience, as I actually worked in casual labouring positions in the late 1980's (up till 1990 - the year of this film) and the conditions were similar to those depicted in the film - lack of health & safety provision for workers, low pay, etc. Incidentally, it looks like Riff-Raff was filmed around Newington Green in North London, which has since become a very trendy, expensive area to live in. Funny how times change and how a lot of British forget how much of a struggle life was / still is in the 'modern world' today. Tony Blair has made a mockery of Labour and I'm afraid it appears to be a survival of the fittest in the current Americanised U.K.!
shareI wouldn't call it his best film at all, that'd be a huge statement to make, but it's a very good one, and I thought the characters kept the whole thing plenty exciting.
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I liked both Raining Stones and Sweet Sixteen better. The story lines were less haphazard. I still don't get what the funeral scene was doing there. Was it Loach saying "These losers can't even get a funeral right?" Or was the mention of detox foreshadowing for the smack scene? I had a hard time with the accents, so can anyone help me out?
share