David O'ConnellGreen Street Hooligans
October 15th 2008 02:19
How does a young American become mixed up in the tribal brutality of soccer hooliganism in England? In 2005’s Green Street Hooligans, Matt Bucknor (Elijah Wood) has just been expelled from Harvard, taking the wrap for a crime committed by his privileged roommate; he acknowledges the futility of fighting it and rather than confront the fallout with his globe-trotting journalist father, he heads to London where his sister and her family live.
Shannon (Claire Forlani) has a young son Matt has never seen, and an English husband, Steve (Marc Warren). On his first day in the city Matt is foisted upon Steve’s younger wayward brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam), and lured into the cauldron of his first football match to watch their beloved West Ham United play.
It becomes a baptism of fire post-match as Matt is spotted alone by opposition supporters and cornered; he’s rescued from an initial lesson in tribal retribution, but a brawl soon erupts as turf is disputed and realigned through a few swift punches and head-kickings!
Rather than being repulsed by this vicious initiation, the free-falling Matt, with his dreams of a degree in journalism back home shattered, feels an immediate connectedness with his brazen, impetuous new friends and the sense of vitality they awaken in him.
All football clubs have a similar group of young male supporters, known as a “firm”, and Matt’s new comrades are West Ham United’s GSE - the Green Street Elite. Despite his American accent and innate ignorance about the game, he’s accepted by the group – with one exception – and soon earns credibility and respect with his own no-holds barred attitude.
Their fiercest rivals are Millwall, and the film counts down to a pre-FA Cup quarter final climax, in which simmering, long-held hatreds are addressed, and revenge enacted for crimes of the past, Pete’s older brother and family man Steve unable to avoid his own history as a former leader of the GSE, putting his domestic stability in jeopardy.
Directed by Lexi Alexander - a former karate and martial arts competitor herself - the film is a violent but compelling one, even if it’s unfortunate that most of the fight scenes are shot and edited like frenetic rock clips with the overt influence of American sensibilities in place of deglamourised British grit; the American financing was clearly a factor in shaping the film’s style and direction as well.
The actors all give strong performances, with the boys of the GSE portrayed with a genuine moral sense despite being reckless and rough around the edges. Hunnam is especially good as Pete, whilst Elijah Wood can’t really shake off the specter of Frodo, and his always-youthful appearance which tends to undermine his more adult roles to some extent.
There’s probably genuine reason for questioning the credibility of Matt’s almost instantaneous indoctrination into the culture of the GSE and their acceptance of him, but it makes for great drama regardless, with these primal forces at work on the London streets making for an occasionally brutal, though watered-down, initiation for the audience as well.
Green Street Hooligans is definitely worth a look, though the final point in the concluding scenes, it must be said, is a dubious one – that these hooligans are ultimately courageous defenders of their turf who should have earned our respect, and who seemingly know when to cease the brutality even as it’s still both ruining and claiming innocent lives around them.
A trailer:
Shannon (Claire Forlani) has a young son Matt has never seen, and an English husband, Steve (Marc Warren). On his first day in the city Matt is foisted upon Steve’s younger wayward brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam), and lured into the cauldron of his first football match to watch their beloved West Ham United play.
It becomes a baptism of fire post-match as Matt is spotted alone by opposition supporters and cornered; he’s rescued from an initial lesson in tribal retribution, but a brawl soon erupts as turf is disputed and realigned through a few swift punches and head-kickings!
Rather than being repulsed by this vicious initiation, the free-falling Matt, with his dreams of a degree in journalism back home shattered, feels an immediate connectedness with his brazen, impetuous new friends and the sense of vitality they awaken in him.
Actually watching the games is the boring bit - which is why you'll see virtually none of it in this film.
All football clubs have a similar group of young male supporters, known as a “firm”, and Matt’s new comrades are West Ham United’s GSE - the Green Street Elite. Despite his American accent and innate ignorance about the game, he’s accepted by the group – with one exception – and soon earns credibility and respect with his own no-holds barred attitude.
Their fiercest rivals are Millwall, and the film counts down to a pre-FA Cup quarter final climax, in which simmering, long-held hatreds are addressed, and revenge enacted for crimes of the past, Pete’s older brother and family man Steve unable to avoid his own history as a former leader of the GSE, putting his domestic stability in jeopardy.
Charlie Hunnam as Pete
Directed by Lexi Alexander - a former karate and martial arts competitor herself - the film is a violent but compelling one, even if it’s unfortunate that most of the fight scenes are shot and edited like frenetic rock clips with the overt influence of American sensibilities in place of deglamourised British grit; the American financing was clearly a factor in shaping the film’s style and direction as well.
The actors all give strong performances, with the boys of the GSE portrayed with a genuine moral sense despite being reckless and rough around the edges. Hunnam is especially good as Pete, whilst Elijah Wood can’t really shake off the specter of Frodo, and his always-youthful appearance which tends to undermine his more adult roles to some extent.
The main crew for the Green Street Elite
There’s probably genuine reason for questioning the credibility of Matt’s almost instantaneous indoctrination into the culture of the GSE and their acceptance of him, but it makes for great drama regardless, with these primal forces at work on the London streets making for an occasionally brutal, though watered-down, initiation for the audience as well.
Green Street Hooligans is definitely worth a look, though the final point in the concluding scenes, it must be said, is a dubious one – that these hooligans are ultimately courageous defenders of their turf who should have earned our respect, and who seemingly know when to cease the brutality even as it’s still both ruining and claiming innocent lives around them.
The GSE's favourite pastime in the world!
A trailer:
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Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
an interesting subject matter, though... I've always wondered if English hooligans would accept me into their gangs. Probably not - I'd be better off with the Yardies, I guess..
great review, though...
Comment by Anonymous
BLUE IS THE COLOR, FOOTBALL IS THE GAME.........(its the theme song numskull)
Good movie, good point about it not qualifying the violence.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Thanks Steve, I'm looking to form my own transplanted version of a "firm" for my beloved Milton Keynes Dons, if you're interested let me know. Instead of kicking in heads we'll just hole up in a dark room, keep the 1988 FA Cup going on a vhs loop and drink lots of Coca-Cola.