I’ve mentioned the new Shane Meadows ‘This is England’ more than a couple of times, and I should really have talked about it more… for the pure reason that (as it says in the trailer) it is one of, if not the best British film of the year. I caught it at the end of last years London film festival and I thought i’d written a review.. but for the life of me I can’t find it…

here’s the plot synopsis, and when I finally get my shit together I’ll write a review:

Roland Rat, Margaret Thatcher; Rubik’s Cubes, the Royal Wedding; aerobics, skinheads… It’s 1983, and the schools are breaking up for summer. Shaun is 12 and a bit of a loner, growing up with his mum in a grim coastal town, his dad killed fighting in the Falklands War. On his way home from school where he’s been tormented all day for wearing flares, he runs into a group of skinheads, who against expectations turn out to be friendly and take him under their wing. Soon Shaun discovers parties, girls and snappy dressing, and finds some role models in Woody, Milky and the rest of the gang. But when an older, overtly racist skinhead returns home from prison, the easy camaraderie of the group is broken, and Shaun is drawn into much more uncomfortable territory. Based largely on his own experience as a youngster, this is Shane Meadows’ most mature and fully realised film. Handling the complexities of masculinity, violence and race with sensitivity and a lightness of touch, it’s hard to imagine a film that would better capture the mood of the time, or that could have any greater an understanding of the allure of being part of a gang

Shane Meadow’s is a really fantastic film maker, and has a level of consistency and integrity that seems to be sorely lacking in … well.. any film industry. ‘This is England’ is right up there with ‘A Room for Romeo Brass’ and ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ as my favourite Meadow’s film. It’ll be released into UK cinemas on the same day as the crappy looking Nic Cage film ‘Next’ so hopefully it won’t get buried by the marketing campaign for that…

Check out the trailer here

‘This is England’ is released on the 27th of April

found via the IFC blog