Jason KingTHE FIRM - DVD Review and Giveaway
September 5th 2011 02:18
:
NO - not the one with Tom Cruise - the English football one :)
Category: Reviews, Interesting
Thanks to the lovely people at ICON Home Entertainment I got to review this entertaining film and they have also kindly given me 5 copies of the DVD to give away! See below......
Alan Clarke's 1989 movie about British soccer hooligans is ported to the early '80s in this loose remake. The film follows Dom (Callum McNab), a young man caught up in the enticing world of firms - soccer gangs who make merry and spar with the supporters of rival teams. Bright and funny, Dom is easily welcomed into the ranks by the firm's leader, Bex (Paul Anderson). But as Dom is drawn into the escalating violence of his clique, he decides to back out. Doing that is easier said than done.
Written and directed by Nick Love, who made the similarly themed The Football Factory, The Firm's greatest departure from the original is following Dom - a relatively minor character in the original - rather than Bex (originally played by Gary Oldman).
The film is enjoyable but really provides nothing new to the genre. I felt it lacked the power of Green Street Hooligans and well, um, I loved the two leads from Hooligans
. I loved the story of Dom trying to find a place to belong - you can't blame his naivety in finding the wrong place to try and fit it. He thinks it is all about being cool - but joining the firm also means abundant violence and possibility of being senselessly killed. There is one scene where he turns up wearing the same clothes as Bex and I shrivelled feeling his humiliation - he wanted so much to be like Bex he thought he would copy him exactly - the poor kid!
I can't really comment on Love's previous work as I have haven't seen any of them but I did enjoy his sense of direction, everything looks great and he captures sensational performances from both McNab and Anderson - if it wasn't for the two leads this film would have sucked - they both carry it nicely. Anderson is menacing and insane but honestly, he is no Gary Oldman - that is one I really want to see. The original will be getting a viewing real soon.
One of its successes is the recreation of the 80's - it is a great achievement as a period film and I will be a happy man if I never see one of this tracksuits again The combo of the clothes and the music give the film a very accurate tone for the tale to take place.
I happily rate this one a 7 out of 10.
Now to win one of the 5 copies I have to giveaway please be one of the first people to email me at jkdigitaldesigns@gmail.com your name, address and answer to the following question: who played Bex in the original film and what is his character's name in the Harry Potter series?
Alan Clarke's 1989 movie about British soccer hooligans is ported to the early '80s in this loose remake. The film follows Dom (Callum McNab), a young man caught up in the enticing world of firms - soccer gangs who make merry and spar with the supporters of rival teams. Bright and funny, Dom is easily welcomed into the ranks by the firm's leader, Bex (Paul Anderson). But as Dom is drawn into the escalating violence of his clique, he decides to back out. Doing that is easier said than done.
Written and directed by Nick Love, who made the similarly themed The Football Factory, The Firm's greatest departure from the original is following Dom - a relatively minor character in the original - rather than Bex (originally played by Gary Oldman).
The film is enjoyable but really provides nothing new to the genre. I felt it lacked the power of Green Street Hooligans and well, um, I loved the two leads from Hooligans
. I loved the story of Dom trying to find a place to belong - you can't blame his naivety in finding the wrong place to try and fit it. He thinks it is all about being cool - but joining the firm also means abundant violence and possibility of being senselessly killed. There is one scene where he turns up wearing the same clothes as Bex and I shrivelled feeling his humiliation - he wanted so much to be like Bex he thought he would copy him exactly - the poor kid!
I can't really comment on Love's previous work as I have haven't seen any of them but I did enjoy his sense of direction, everything looks great and he captures sensational performances from both McNab and Anderson - if it wasn't for the two leads this film would have sucked - they both carry it nicely. Anderson is menacing and insane but honestly, he is no Gary Oldman - that is one I really want to see. The original will be getting a viewing real soon.
One of its successes is the recreation of the 80's - it is a great achievement as a period film and I will be a happy man if I never see one of this tracksuits again
The combo of the clothes and the music give the film a very accurate tone for the tale to take place. 
I happily rate this one a 7 out of 10.
Now to win one of the 5 copies I have to giveaway please be one of the first people to email me at jkdigitaldesigns@gmail.com your name, address and answer to the following question: who played Bex in the original film and what is his character's name in the Harry Potter series?
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