yes it is what you think

Rating: 4/10 (6 October 2004)

I was wondering why there weren't many comments on this even though it's on the front page of a few popular internet DVD shops, so I rented it out a few nights ago. Now I know why the lack of interest:
This film is not about football and I wasn't expecting a football film. Basically this is a proper "lads" film, and like most films that fit into that category it is pretty bad. Sure some of the characters are interesting, and the acting from most of the cast is very good, but the overall feeling is that this film is trying to be a bit of a joyride for guys who have similar interests to those portrayed in the film. So, there's lots of violence, lots of shots of people stamping on each other etc, and a good deal of attention is paid to the pre-fight bonding sessions that the characters go through (including lots of drug taking and shouting). Well done for presenting it realistically, but to me its just not interesting.
There are a couple of very unsubtle attempts to make the viewer think this film might be going somewhere interesting, when the main character seems to begin to question the dodgy way he's choosing to live, once at the start of the film and once mid way through. Then, nothing! we see a few more fights, the characters don't develop and nothing is learnt. There's a good scene where the scariest of the group acts insulted to frighten one of the smaller guys, but even this is ripped straight from Joe Pesci's brilliant scene in Goodfellas. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't hoping for all the characters to see the error of their ways or anything, but I wanted to learn something or see something original.
The style was Snatch meets Human Traffic... so kind of fast and snappy, but not very original, and not at all interesting, at least to me. That said, due to the quality acting and totally realistic storyline, if you're a football hooligan or are in general into street violence this may be well worth a look.