Plot
A wrongfully expelled Harvard undergrad moves to London, where he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.
Release Year: 2005
Rating: 7.5/10 (54,630 voted)
Critic's Score: 55/100
Director:
Lexi Alexander
Stars: Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani
Storyline Unjustly expelled from Harvard when a stash of cocaine is found in his possession, Matt moves to London to live with his sister and her husband Steve. He is quickly introduced to Steve's chirpy, cock-sure younger brother Pete. Initially, Pete is reluctant to get acquainted with Matt and allow him to tread around the capital city with him because he may be seen by others as an 'outsider', but after a heavy drinking session with him and his mates he quickly changes his opinion of him. On the way back from a football match, Matt is viciously accosted by a gang of Birmingham City thugs, until Pete and his friends step in and save him. It is from here that Matt learns the truth about Pete and his friends- they are football hooligans, operating the GSE (Green Street Elite) 'firm.' Initially afraid of the violence, Matt soon ends up becoming as desensitized to it as his new found friends - but as events roll on...
Writers: Lexi Alexander, Dougie Brimson
Cast: Elijah Wood
-
Matt Buckner
Charlie Hunnam
-
Pete Dunham
David Alexander
-
Nigel
Oliver Allison
-
Ben Dunham
James Allison
-
Ben Dunham
Geoff Bell
-
Tommy Hatcher
Joel Beckett
-
Terry
Kieran Bew
-
Ike
David Carr
-
Clive
Andrew Blair
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Announcer
Brendan Charleson
-
John Morris
Scott Christie
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Millwall Lad
/
Ricky
Alec Dalman
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Security Guard
Claire Forlani
-
Shannon Dunham
Jacob Gaffney
-
Todd
Filming Locations: Bank Underground Station, London, England, UK
Opening Weekend: $48,760
(USA)
(11 September 2005)
(7 Screens)
Gross: $344,095
(USA)
(20 November 2005)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
West Ham were approached by the film-makers who wanted to shoot scenes at their Upton Park ground. As they were under the impression that the film was celebrating the glorious game and its fanatical supporters, they agreed. Once they realized the film's true take on the subject (after filming had taken place), they disassociated themselves from the project.
Goofs:
Factual errors:
Actual trains departing London to Manchester leave from Euston Station, not Kings Cross or Paddington.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Pete Dunham:
Fuck me. If I knew we was going to a bar mitzvah, I would have brought me fuckin' skull cap. Mate, Tottenham's due north. Are you lost? Or just fucking stupid?
User Review
HOOLIGANS is the best of this genre so far
Rating:
First of all there hasn't been a good film about English Football
Hooliganism. Both ID in 1995 and last years FOOTBALL FACTORY either
failed to convince or just went down the familiar exploitative road of
glamorising the buzz and thrill of violence.
HOOLIGANS as the title suggests depicts what these aforementioned films
centre upon with the added value of having a story and characters you
care about. There's no avoiding the cliché's as the ranks of these
organised gang members are portrayed as gangsters.
Similar to BBC's Gary Oldman drama THE FIRM broadcast in 1986 it also
show the characters as normal members of society, family men with
respectable jobs. FOOTBALL FACTORY took the extreme and unconvincing
scenario that these weekend animals are florist's during the week which
might be amusing but the subject matter of organised territorial
football hooliganism needs to be given a serious look at.
Fortunately HOOLIGANS portrays this more realistically, sure there's
the stereo types in designer clothes (The Chavs) as we call them now
where loyalty, respect, revenge, dignity and pride are what they live
for, not the enjoyment of the actual sport. This simply acts as the
excuse to fight in a traditional gang warfare environment. The prospect
of West Ham's cup tie with Millwall brings joy to the faces of both
sets of fans.
Casting Elijah Wood is a bold move, he looks like a Choirboy but this
adds to the films main storyline of innocence corrupted. The acting is
better than average, despite letting his cockney accent slip on
occasions, Gang leader Charlie Hunnam shows a genuine mix of anger,
aggression and compassion which holds the film together.
This won't win awards but it's refreshing to see a film finally
tackling the subject matter that unfortunately has been a shameful
factor of Britain's attitude towards football as we are constantly
under threat of being disqualified from International tournaments due
to the bad behaviour of soccer hooligans.
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