Excellent casting, believable take on football hooligan society

Rating: 9/10 (5 October 2005)

We did not expect to enjoy this film until the quality of its casting and the authenticity of its shooting became clear. Neither of us had any sympathy for football hooligans nor any understanding of their social ties, and so it was a rather fascinating insight. I felt that it highlighted an essential social difference between men and women of which I, as a woman, had never had personal experience. Some of the 'Cockney' accents were clearly not native, but they were good all the same. Some of the casting was brilliant, and we were very emotionally engaged in it. Less credible as characters were the two main ones - Elijah Wood and his sister - but it was a glimpse of a raw London, shot with amazing technical effect. Loads of gratuitous violence, but at least it was in context. We came out of the film feeling we had had a really positive cinematic experience and wanting to recommend the film to others.