To me, this movie is perfection.

Strong and Moving!

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This is the sort that wins lots of plaudits and it's not difficult to see why . It's like jumping in to the Tardis and finding one self in a distinctive time and place so much so you sometimes find it difficult to believe that you're watching a mere film and genuinely believe you're stuck in the time zone it's set . Then suddenly the social realism of the film starts over doing things a little and the hyper realism starts detracting from the reality There does tend to be an element of British cultural bourgeois mind set called " The cult of the proletariat " . By this I mean the bourgeoisie have an instinctive intrigue of all things relating to the lower working class environment but have a dread of ever experiencing it . It's no coincidence that protagonist John McGill is academically gifted and instead of pursuing the academic dream of attending University starts descending in to a path of crime and self destruction . There's no convincing incitement for any of this and the fact McGill could have been someone instead of a no one is quickly forgotten . All this gives the impression that McGill's life is a Shakespearian tragedy From a technical point of view there's absolutely nothing wrong with Mullen's film and shows what can be achieved with a small budget . It's superbly and convincingly acted by everyone especially by Conor McCaron as John McGill . The problems lie in exaggeration . When the film was released Mullen was on record as saying what violent times the 1970s were and he's not wrong . The strap was commonly , perhaps too commonly used by teachers at school but yet would you ever hear a teacher swear ? The dialogue might be authentic but the Glasgow vernacular constantly using the F word and the C word and ending nearly every spoken line with " Man " will make it very difficult for a non working class Scottish audience and one suspects the working class Scottish proles may not be the target audience

I have very mixed feelings about this film. Admittedly I was expecting a lot as it's a Peter Mullen film and he deals very well with the dirtier side of British social history. A majority of his work is heavy going and usually leaves me with lots to think about, having first had a good cry! This certainly is not for the faint hearted.The violence I found incredibly difficult to watch. I am sure that is a nod to its realism but it wasn't easy viewing by any means. It wasn't gratuitous but as advertised, it was brutal. I didn't feel resolve or any sense of justice or come away feeling like things have much improved or changed over time. It has been compared a lot to 'The is England' but in truth it doesn't have a patch on it. The characters just aren't as well developed and I didn't particularly like or feel compassion to many of them, apart from the fact that this is the sad reality for many children, even now. I also can't recall many moments of light relief in this, which This is England managed frequently with its emphasis on comradery and friendship. I feel ultimately it is an unfair comparison though so don't watch it on that basis.You can make all sorts of excuses or explanations as to why disillusioned young men become gang members or vandals/ criminals but in this case I didn't feel as though the main character made this transition in a subtle or realistic fashion. It was closer to a personality transplant than the slowly trodden down morale of gentile lad with a potentially bright future. Okay so it makes the valid point that we as a society have to nurture our young, protect them, educate them, communicate with them, lead by example, give them the opportunities that they need to grow. But I felt like this was more about poor management of a possible mental health issue rather than just the story of an average boy with a troubled background. (I know the two often go hand in hand) I just didn't feel like the character development justified the direction that the plot went in.So plot was so-so, performance wise it was pretty solid, particularly for young, amateur, Scottish kids. The camera work was pretty good and the retro 70's feel was definitely apparent. I can't pin point the moment at which it started to lag but it did, it lost my attention and I lost hope of it ever reaching a conclusion that would satisfy and I was right. Ultimately I found myself wanting to enjoy the film more than I actually did.Sidenote: I grew up in Scotland, not too far from Glasgow and for a long time 'Neds' didn't necessarily know they were 'Neds'. Ned was always an insult, it is a a discriminatory, class issue and although they may now have embraced the word, reclaimed it, like the use of the 'N' word amongst the Black community, it certainly was not something that people used to refer to themselves as, or be proud of. I was interested to see the character in this refer to himself as a Ned. I know that the word itself goes way back and I am sure it is accurate in the film makers experience, but interesting how that differs from people who live just a few miles away (admittedly that was 80s/90s/early 2000s) I also appreciate that Glasgow gang culture has a long and complex history where as I lived in a more rural area where groups were mainly interchangeable (apart from the great Neds Vs Goths War of '97!)

There was positive discussion of this British film on Film 2010 with Claudia Winkleman, and it looked like a good mix of This Is England and something like (a more understandable) Sweet Sixteen, so of course I wanted to see it, from director Peter Mullan. Basically, set in 1970's Glasgow, Neds (Non-Educated Delinquents) are roaming the streets, and school boy, ten year old John McGill (Greg Forrest) has been surrounded by it for some time, but ignores it to do well in his studies. After a very good academic career, fourteen year old John McGill (Conor McCarron) is ready to start secondary school, but with a dysfunctional family consisting of a drunken and violent father (Peter Mullan), troubled mother Theresa (Louise Goodall) and brother Benny (Joe Szula) constantly getting into trouble with the police, dark clouds appear in his personality. He makes friends with Julian (Martin Bell) and hanging out with the wrong crowd, John transcends into the Neds territory as he talks back to teachers and isn't bothered about punishment, and of course going against other young street thugs. Also starring John Joe Hay as Fergie, Gary Lewis as Mr. Russell, Mhairi Anderson as Elizabeth, Richard Mack as Gerr, Gary Milligan as Canta, Christopher Wallace as Wee T, Marianna Palka as Aunt Beth, Steven Robertson as Mr. Bonetti, David McKay as Mr. Holmes and Linda Cuthbert as Mrs. Matherson. I agree with the critics that it loses some grip towards the end, but all the actors, most of which are newcomers, especially McCarron and his younger self Forrest are fantastic, the realism in parts with the violence and school punishment makes for good viewing, an interesting coming-of-age drama. Worth watching!

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning John (Connor McCarron) excels as a child in his studies, but the rough, hard environment around him soon has an effect on his personal character and, as he grows up in 1970s Glasgow, he moulds into one of the pack, as problems at home and school breed the violent character within him, going up against the hard drinking, knife wielding thugs that are the sworn enemies of the hard drinking, knife wielding thugs he's in with.Glasgow still holds the notorious accolade of being 'the knife crime capital of Great Britain', so this could have been just as hard hitting and unflinching as it was setting out to be being a modern day drama. Instead, director Peter Mullan has presented a sprawling, overlong if I'm brutally honest, exploration of a young man's despairing, senseless dessension into mindless thuggery, possibly based on his own experiences. As a result of this, it comes off as very hard to get into to start with, lost as it is in it's own mood, atmosphere and style. But it's these same things that somehow manage to make it a more absorbing experience if you stick with it long enough, slowly drawing you into the life of this troubled character and the various ups and downs he encounters as he trawls through the rough landscape of his youth. Still, this feels like quite an undisciplined effort from Mullan, which veers into outlandish, arty moments (such as the lead character duking it out with the Lord Jesus Christ) that only serve to make it an even more alienating experience than it already is. ***