Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley
The story of Shaun (Thomas Turgoose), a boy growing up in the north of England.
Set during summer 1983, it follows his journey from a shaggy-haired youngster grieving the loss of his father to a shaven-headed aggressor whose anger and pain are embraced and exploited by a local skinhead fraternity.
Largely based on director Shane Meadows’ own personal experience, This is England captures a specific point in British history and articulates the insidious power and allure of being part of a gang. Brilliantly charting a course from the film’s joyous early passages into bleaker territory, Meadows skilfully and with great sensitivity explores rage, masculinity, and young men’s vulnerability to corrosive messages of racism and nationalism.
Featuring astounding performances from Stephen Graham (Gangs of New York) and newcomer Thomas Turgoose, This is England is an emphatic, riveting and deeply moving portrait of an often overlooked moment in British cultural history and is arguably Meadows’ masterpiece.
