View Trailer:

It�s 1983 and the last day of term for Shaun (Turgoose), a baby-faced 12-year-old who lost his dad in the Falklands War and now lives with his mum (Hartley) in an unnamed English provincial town. His secondhand flares and old-fashioned haircut make him stand out in a playground full of New Romantics and big-haired dayglo-wearing kids, making him a frequent target for bullies.

Things begin to look up for Shaun when he is befriended by Woody (Gilgun) and his gang of ska-loving skinheads, and he quickly begins to forge his own identity with the group. But the carefree fun of hanging out with the older boys turns to something much darker with the return of the charismatic Combo (Graham), whose time in prison has turned him onto a violent and racist ideology (paralleling the rise of race-hate nationalism that eventually consumed the previously multiracial skinhead movement during this period). Combo recognises something of himself in Shaun, and is eager to provide the fatherly support that he himself never got, but Combo�s growing attraction to the National Front and threatening behaviour against the local Pakistani shopkeeper and a bunch of young Asian lads playing football presages a tragic confrontation with Milky (Shim), the only black member of Woody�s gang, that while somewhat predictable, is still unexpected in its shocking brutality and emotional intensity.

This is England is apparently a fictionalised account of the director�s childhood and it shows in Meadows� naturalistic dialogue and gentle observational humour that make the film a deeply personal experience but one that anyone familiar with the period can relate to. An opening montage of Knight Rider, Roland Rat and Rubik�s cubes is intercut with horrific footage from the Falklands War, quickly scotching any fear that this is going to be another exercise in pointless �I Love the 1980s� nostalgia.

Following on from the excellent Dead Man�s Shoes, Meadows� writing is sharper than ever and once again he showcases his ability to bring out understated and effective performances from a largely inexperienced bunch of actors. Graham, probably the most experienced of the cast, with decent roles in Snatch and Gangs of New York under his belt, gives a humanity to the character of Combo, and it�s no mean feat to be able to engender sympathy for such a terrifying individual as this. But it�s Turgoose in particular who is the stand-out, alternating frustration, rage, and humour, utterly believable with almost perfect comic timing, and provides much of the laugh out loud moments in the first half of the film.

This is England is easily Meadows� most accomplished film to date and a modern British classic.