"This is England" (2006) - Movie Review

“This is England” is laid out on one another religion to be universally accepted, patriotism. On the outlook of that line and particularly the word, patriotism is often a positive notion of a perfect right thing in a much larger scale. What runs on the defense is a gray line of discussion but how does that bring about the rightness in an individual. In an objective stand out perspective, it is indeed a religion, a very righteous one as propagated and labeled. Guarding territory is different but against something is when things become murky. It does bring every one together in tough times but against some one, as hate rather than love amongst civil liberties and outlook. When that angers individuals to take up hatred as their weapon, a closer look by stripping down is the simple but powerful emotion of jealousy and void love rather than passion for country.

The story happens in 1983 where we see a 12 year old boy Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) is in a state of being bullied around during the tough time of his life, losing his father in the Falklands War. Seeing his mom (Jo Hartley) remind him of the great days he had with his dad. He wants an outlet and that becomes through a skin head Woody (Joe Gilgun) whose posse is a representation not as political or racist force rather a culture of being the cool kids. In fact they have Milky (Andrew Shim) who is from Jamaican origins. Shaun likes to belong to something which is often the hunt for most people and especially for a kid.

We fear for the boy as Woody’s sympathy and care even though genuine has a face of a cult having history of hatred. Yet they go as a group and are the renegades in empty houses. They demolish the abandoned homes and that becomes the outlet for Shaun. So when Shaun is inducted into the group by shaving his head and getting the suspenders, his mom is shocked. But she comes by and complains about the haircut and not judge these kids. That is a subtle scene of fear, love and prejudice dangling in contemplation.

The real threat comes in the form of an older former member Combo (Stephen Graham) who has served three year in prison and Woody’s best friend. His entry into a fun filled party is scaring to hell and tells his sick taste for jokes. And he immediately dives in taking cat moves gracing on the subject of race in one of his story which unsettles the gang with Milky agitated. But here is the difference, Combo instantly apologizes and in fact makes the strongest persuasion through that incident in bringing the gang in uniting for Nationalism. And an interesting thing happens; Woody and most of his buddies walk out while Shaun with a personal confrontation about his dad by Combo makes him stay.

Shane Meadows is well aware of the various Neo Nazi films that have been successful and made its strong point. But this is about something bigger. As they say people call them with different names and honestly they are the “patriots” or fanatics in its true form. Yet it is the people collecting their feelings into something they cannot come up with a name and hence belong to something which closely resemble it. For Shaun it is anger and a brotherly manly affection he misses from his dad. Shaun is a fragile mind and state and more than that he is a confused kid. We are surprised by Combo. With his immediate buddy Woody completely rationalizing and backing off, it is threatening to doubt whether he is a sociopathic maniac trying to get the kick out of a clan providing those opportunity. He is not one and in the most emotional and enlightening part of the tale, we see how much it all is for the feeling of not having something the others have. If its his/her countrymen, it seems normal but if it is some one outside that irritates him and thinks they do not deserve so much love, opportunity and consideration.

Shane Meadows not only provides a story of the nationalist UK in 80s but a culture through it. Stephen Graham as Combo is intimidating but kind beyond imagination. He says to the 12 year old Turgoose’s Shaun that when he tried to take a swing at him, he saw himself. Indeed he does, a lost kid never getting the attention and affection he wanted. Graham and Turgoose give a performance which is a thin line to be despised and admired. They are truly the individuals the society churns up consumed by their confusion.

A nation’s army is a defensive force and men/women in it truly sacrifice everything for country. But those emotions build up something fanatical in the civilians who are not on the front guard. Essentially it is an ardent form of unity and a religion in the physicality of dirt and stones morphs into patriotism. In the end it is individual finding reasons and setting minds to have a purpose and a great factor of feeling good. Despite the great respect I have for the people who stand up to protect, is it really is what happening in current world? The art of defense is just a stand up scenario for stealth offense and tap a name on it as war against violence. Seeing those becomes the rooting factor for civilians waiting for that to blame on something larger than them to do their hatred against some one. “This is England” addresses the issue of that fanaticism hiding in every person.