| About Tim Smith | Tim Smith is a Nottingham born actor/film maker. He recently completed a tour with the Nottingham Playhouse production of Whisky Galore! The Making of a Fillum. In 2006 Tim wrote, co-directed and produced the short film, Schoolboy, which features several cast members from Shane Meadows' film This is England. Tim's film is being screened at national and international film festivals during 2007 and is touring schools across the country later in the year. |
As a young film maker and former member of Nottingham's Junior Television Workshop, a casting pool used for all of his films, I have followed Shane Meadows' career with more than a passing interest. Meadows' latest film, This is England, is based on his own experiences of growing up in the 80's. The story | | Shane Meadows |
Following the death of his father in the Falklands War, 12 year old loner, Shaun (Thomas Turgoose), finds new role models in a group of local skinheads, especially Combo, (Stephen Graham - Gangs of New York and Snatch), recently out of prison. Like Room For Romeo Brass and Dead Man's Shoes, This is England is an exploration of violence and masculinity, a journey Meadows has taken us on before i.e. older man with serious issues befriends young sidekick in order to create brutal chaos. The film has style and is set against an impeccably designed 80's backdrop. The addition of ITN news footage underpins the film's political themes. Meadows' young cast breathe life into their characters, most notably Thomas Turgoose, whose compelling performance, effortlessly leads the pack in his first ever screen appearance. He rightly deserved to win Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards. However, this film only really ignites when Shaun meets the volatile and racist Combo, an explosive performance provided by the superb Stephen Graham, leading to some powerful on-screen chemistry between the two actors.. The verdictPersonally, I feel that in the past, the Meadows' approach of fleshing out scripts with improvised dialogue has been successful, but in This Is England it sometimes becomes more of a distraction, especially when some of today's vernacular is used. The film has a powerful message and at times the action had me on the edge of my seat. However, I found the closing scenes a little unsatisfying, offering nothing significantly dissimilar from the endings of Meadows' previous works. Whilst I am sure that newcomers to Shane's Meadows' work will enjoy This Is England on a personal level this time I was hoping for something a little different. | 
