This is England (2006)

HomeFilmThis is England

Shane Meadows's Bafta-winning film is set in early 1980s Grimsby, where 13-year-old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose, pictured, centre) has to endure bullying at school both for his dress sense and, more spitefully, the loss of his father in the Falklands War.

Then he chances upon a gang of skinheads, led by the affable Woody (Joseph Gilgun) who, although they all appear menacing, accept him into the group, offering him an identity. But when Combo (Stephen Graham) reappears on the scene after a spell inside, bringing with him poisonous National Front politics, Shaun is left with divided loyalties and hard decisions to make.

Meadows's film explores the forgotten Thatcher/Falklands generation, who saw victory and prosperity go to the usual suspects, while a generation was already getting used to the idea of the scrap heap. Woody's "gang" use the skinhead motif as a way of signifying their outsider status rather than any overtly racist intentions until Combo starts spreading his poison.

Turgoose is a revelation as Shaun (he won the British Independent Film Award for most promising newcomer). He was discovered by the casting director at a local project for disadvantaged kids and impressed Meadows with his attitude when he demanded a fiver for attending repeat auditions. He has since acted in Meadows' film Somers Town, the BBC drama series The Innocence Project (as did Stephen Graham), the thriller Eden Lake and the forthcoming The Scouting Book for Boys.

This is England is a Film programme that first aired in 2006 and has been rated 15.

This is England is a 4 star programme.

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