Has anyone seen this film yet? Definitely the best British film I've seen in ages.

..NO, but what's it like. give us a synopsis

It was okay but needed some work. The link between the war and the far right wasn't made good use of and seemed pointless to me. I didn't buy the way the guys spoke to each other and the overemotional conversations. Not in the 80s anyway.

The far right views were not challenged, and there wasn't much made of the nazism itself though I suppose that was a side story.

We should have seen what happened with Woody after Combo took over. It's like he just dissapears into a big plot hole.

I didn't get that big girl seducing the little boy. I seriously didn't buy that.

And the Milky character baffled me. I see where he would have hung out with Woodys bunch but hanging out with Combo and making nice? No way! Also that scene near the end (won't spoil it) was obviously coming and building up and if Milky couldn't see that then he's dumb!

Was it at all realistic as in factually based?

Combo was an 'original' skin since '69, introduced to that lifestyle by people like Milky's uncles. Watching the film, it's doubtful he really was a true racist at heart despite all his rhetoric. I just think he was someone going through a hell of a lot of mental and emotional turmoil - that's shown in that scene you're referring to.

He didn't hang out with Milky at first at the beginning when he was all pumped up, but after he started to face rejection that's when all his insecurities rose to the surface and he sought friendship from any and anyone who would accept him. Plus Milky was quite a liberal African skin and you know how acceptingand forgiving Africans are anyway.

I think their conversations with each other was quite authentic, although I also think that relationship with shaun and that girl was eerie. I know she was only supposed to be a couple of years older than him, but damn she looked old enough to be his aunty considering he's so small.

It has a couple of flaws but overall the film is so convincing you couldn't even tell it was made recently unlike a lot of other films set in the past.

No thanks.

I'll pass on this one.

Recently saw the film.

Liked it. It was a mix between Kes & Quadraphina (spelling)the introduction was impressive and the title was clever."Oi, this is England" sort of wake up this is the land in which we live (a statement to the Oi skinhead movement).

Same of the elements of the film made me realisejust how much things have changed. The incident when the teacher hits the youth on the head for fighting, and the cane?

Another thing I found funny was the scene in the shop where the Sales assistant was trying to sell Shane the boots "From London" back in the day that meant something. Could not work out where he wanted "Southerners" rather than the black "Northerners" Dr Martins? In those days fashion came from the streets up and not the other way around as it is today.

Also suchpharses like: "It's a free country, is'nt it?" are hardly used nowadays. A telling indication of our times.

Shanes right of passage was written like the docufilms of the British cinema of the 1960's (This sporting life, Saturday night sunday morning) but from a retrospective.

Back in the day people were passionate about their music to the extent of fighting over it with other sub-cultures. Skins againg Rockers , Mods and Hippies, Rasta against Ball head.

Also the Directors using the small group to illustrate were the Skinhead movement came from and how Combo and his muckers preverted it. It was not unsual to see Black skin heads more a natural due to it's rude boy and music origins. The skinheads were a working class movement more anything else. But the fighting on the football terraces right wing groups in the late 70's early 80's tapped into it to politise the Skin head to what they are recognised to day.

The character "Woody" has remained true to the skin head ideal where as mentioned "Combo" is confused having done the time in Prison, his burly side kick is not a Skinhead in the sense of the word.

The best scene for me was the young lad in the Car after attending the National Front meeting and his Question to Combo. It really summed up the divide in that movement.

Many skinheads joined with punks and socialists in the Anti-Nazi League and rock against racism. More in protest against the racism against Blacks than Asians.

The music was most from the 1st round of skinhead, Ska and trojan sound and not the rivival of "The Selector", "Madness", Bad Manners or the "Specials".

I think the link between the Falklands War and the theme was the rise of nationalism at the time and it being tapped into by the far right.

Combos final outburst is more telling about his childhood background than his views on race and "Milk" through his grin realised his weak link.

Overall it was a good film without out a big budget.

^On point analysis.

Watch it for free:


TV Links

Im american and I came across the film on the net. The title caught my attention.. I will say that I thought the film was great....kindof reminded me of the film KIDS.

Looks bloody depressing!

Be quiet.