Awesome Movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Can you imagine that there is a single football hooligan in the whole of British football history that would be intimidated by the sight of Elijah Wood - running at them with his watery eyes, soft round face and clenched, child-like fists? Nah. Me neither. Poor casting, faintly ridiculous story and a bizarre caricatured representation of what British footballing culture used to be.

This movie had two things I didn't care much for: soccer (yes I called it soccer) and senseless violence.It would be an error to say the movie was about soccer because it had very little to do with soccer. It had more to do with senseless violence than anything. Green Street Hooligans did its level best to convince us of the nobility of soccer "firms" (aka gangs). Apparently, the soccer teams of England also have unofficial "firms" attached to them. These "firms" are nothing more than liquored up thugs that fight each other for a "rep" and "firm" dominance. What failed to resonate with me was the fact that these firms fought each other based upon their chosen soccer team. They make a point to insult the Crips and Bloods who fight over turf as though fighting for soccer is somehow more noble.It's a sport. It's for entertainment. The players themselves wouldn't even fight over their respective teams. And I get sports passion because I love sports myself. Still, I'm not fighting over it.The main character, Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood), was a languishing spineless soul until he fell in with the West Ham United firm--or so they'd have you believe. After he got a taste of blood and excitement he was a changed man. A better man.The plot was painfully simple and one-dimensional and Elijah Wood didn't sell it at all. Nobody really was able to sell this movie to me. It was hard to take one iota of this seriously. Fighting over soccer teams, reputations, journalist phobias, and daddy issues all made an appearance and none of it made sense. I'm assuming that this movie is so beloved because it's like a British version of Fight Club. Fight Club I liked, this I didn't.

The Harvard's journalism student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) is expelled from the university two months before his graduation for stashing drugs in his closet in his room. However the cocaine belongs and was hidden by his roommate Jeremy Van Holden (Terence Jay). But the insecure Matt does not accuse Van Holden since he is the son of a powerful politician. Matt travels to London to meet his estranged sister Shannon Dunham (Claire Forlani) that is married with a baby boy with the British Steve Dunham (Marc Warren). Matt explains what happened to her in Harvard and when Steve comes home, he asks Matt to go to the football game with his brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam) since he has planned to date Shannon that night. Pete refuses since he is the leader of the GSE (Green Street Elite), a gang of hooligan fans of the West Ham United that usually fight after the matches. However Matt befriends Pete and his friends and fights with them, becoming a confident young man. But soon he has a lesson where the violence of the hooligan gangs leads them."Hooligans" is a surprisingly good film about violence and friendship. Elijah Wood performs an interesting character that changes his personality through his experience with a gang of hooligans. Pete is also intriguing since he is a history and physical education teacher for kids and the leader of a gang. It is good to see the loyalty of most of the characters to each other and how they change their personal lives addicted in fights after the football matches. The tragic conclusion fits well to the behavior of the characters. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Hooligans"

So, I'm from Sweden but I can still see how unrealistic this film was. It's like an American read some reports about hooligan violence and then tried to make a near-Hollywood production out of it.I think it had a good start though. Filmed in London, inside the stadium etc. But then it went downhill very fast. I mean most of the actors were just awful. Really, a geeky Frodo fits right into that hooligan gang? It's just really weird. When he comes to London he's like: "naaa, i don't wanna do this", then out of nowhere, he loves fighting??????? And the others accept him??? And one guy goes to the RIVAL TEAM'S hooligans for HELP???????? Absurd. Way too melodramatic, and Frodos sister seriously cries for like half of the film. I could also do without Frodos boring and dull backstory.Cringed from like minute 30 and forward. Did a total face palm in the end when Frodo held an American "I will do everything to honor his memory"-speech. Soooooo bad.I'll give it 2/10 though because of the first 30 minutes. The rest was awful.