MovieChat Forums > This Is England (2007) Discussion > A very depressing but memorable film

A very depressing but memorable film


So I decided to watch this movie again. It's been a long while. And I must say, it's super depressing. But still, very memorable. Even though this film revolves around skinheads and racism, I interpret it more as a tale about a confused group of people who are desperately trying to latch on to some sense of conformity and meaning, but head in a very misguided and hateful direction. If that makes sense.

What bothers me about the film is how it starts out on such a high and positive note, and then heads in a really dark direction. You can see that Shaun is having a good time with his new group of friends; that is until he meets Combo and then everything quickly goes downhill. And the saddest part is how Shaun is an impressionable and vulnerable young dude who's just trying to fit into a group. The worst case scenario of peer pressure. And the ending with what happens to Milky is just heartbreaking.

What I like about the film was the cast. The acting is what made this movie memorable. Especially from the leading role of the guy who played Combo. Though it did end sort of abruptly. The soundtrack was also really good and fitting for the era. My only question is regarding Shaun's mom. She seemed concerned when she first found out he got his haircut. But did she have any knowledge that he was associating with skinheads?

reply

Skinheads didn't have such a bad rep back then as they do today. Nowadays most people wrongly assume that skinheads are racists or neo-nazis. Back then things were a bit muddled. Shaun's mom might have not even have known what skinheads were. She only noticed that Woody and the gang were not bad kids and then decided to let Shaun hang with them.

reply