This Is England

A coming-of-age tale set in a grubby seaside town in Thatcher-era Britain, Shane Meadows' semiautobiographical This Is England features thick accents and historical details mostly unfamiliar to American audiences—but it's well worth the watch. A moving portrait of a boy growing up in painful circumstances juxtaposed with a reflection on the domestic strife that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's policies brought to 1983 England, the film stars newcomer Thomas Turgoose as 11-year-old Shaun, a pugnacious yet sensitive lad whose father died in the Falklands War, and whose mother is struggling to make ends meet. The friendless, bullied boy finds some companionship with a band of jovial skinheads (not thugs, but rambunctious, rebellious, strangely-dressed youths devoted to reggae/ska music). Unfortunately, under the influence of a recently-released convict the gang splits into two factions, one reflecting racist attitudes and moving into a vague alliance with a crypto-fascist political movement. Shaun joins this misguided group, only to learn what that really means. The arc of This Is England is hardly revolutionary—a kid must choose between good and bad influences that will determine the direction his life takes—but the film is distinguished by a gritty sense of place, performances that have the ring of truth, and a refusal to opt for simplistic didacticism. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer-director Shane Meadows, producer Mark Herbert, and star Thomas Turgoose, seven deleted scenes (11 min.), a seven-minute “making-of” featurette, an interview with Meadows (5 min.), the text essays “Skinhead Culture: Cropped, Braced & Booted” and “The Falklands: A Pathetic War,” and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a solid film.] (F. Swietek)