Green Street

Rating: 3/10 (15 April 2011)

I had heard bits and pieces about this film, I knew the leading American actor, I knew it was made in Britain, and I knew it had something to do with football, so all those things in mind I tried it out. Basically student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) has been wrongfully expelled from Harvard, set-up for stashing cocaine, and he decides to travel to London, England to live with his sister Shannon Dunham (The Rock's Claire Forlani) and her husband Steve (Hustle's Marc Warren). He quickly meets Steve's cocky younger brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam), who helps him know the ropes and what's what as he will be seen as an "outsider", but after a few sessions of heavy drinking this changes. Matt establishes himself as part of the gang, or firm, of football hooligans the GSE - Green Street Elite, and after football matches their enemies are the gang of Birmingham City thugs. Initially he is opposed and afraid of getting involved in any violence, but he becomes desensitised to it, almost enjoying it, and he gains more of an independence as well. His attitude changes almost completely that he is reluctant not to return to America with his father Carl (Henry Goodman) and put the expulsion events to rights. In the end however Matt does return to the United States after some pretty harsh events, such as the attacks and getting into fisticuffs with Jeremy, I would assume he is alright. Also starring Leo Gregory as Bovver, Geoff Bell as Tommy Hatcher, Rafe Spall, son of Timothy as Swill, Kieran Bew as Ike and Ross McCall as Dave. Wood's wide-eyed and often scared look does help his character, but none of the other actors really stick out much, not even reasonable stars Warren or Forlani, I agree with the critics that the violence of the well known football hooligans should have been the focus more than relationships within, a predictable crime drama. Adequate!