“Stand your ground and fight”
Before I start let me make one thing clear. This entry is not about a certain former member of boards.ie :).
What this is though is another of Baz_’s shit reviews! Woo hoo!
NOBODY LEAVE BACK THERE!!
Green Street
So in case you hadn’t guessed by the plethora of clues (blog entry title, quote, bold text just above) the movie is Green Street.
The start of this movie involves quite a gruesome fight scene including some shaky camera work (not shaky as in bad, but shaky as in trying to give a sensation of the action), and it really sets the tone for the multitude of fight scenes right through this movie. That is to say bloody, gritty and realistic. Top notch already!
The movie stars Fro^H^H^H Elijah Wood as Matt Buckner a journalism student at Harvard University, well actually former student, he gets kicked out you see.
After that he heads over to Jolly Olde Eng-er-land to see his sister Shannon played by Claire Forlani of Meet Joe Black fame, and funnily enough she doesn’t look half as perfect as in that movie (it really was absurdly perfect, still enjoyed it though). He is quickly introduced to Steve, Shannon’s husband and then Steve’s brother Pete, played by Charlie Hunnam (who? I hadn’t heard of him either), who is bribed by Steve into taking Matt to see a West Ham game and this is where the real movie begins. Pete had been involved in the wee altercation which took place at the start of the movie, and has one of the dodgiest London accents I have ever heard (although when I tried to point this out to my girlfriend by putting on my London accent, she laughed, and obviously there are dodgier accents than his) which nearly put me off the film altogether, but he redeems himself with an excellent performance.
So we’re off to match day, lots of beer gets consumed, we meet the mates, as well as the non-too welcoming one. Into the game and then outside for a scuffle. Matt doesn’t want to get mixed up in the fight so he heads home, and on the way gets jumped by some of the opposition’s supporters who are not of the same mindset as Matt, they very much want to get mixed up in the fight. Incidentally Matt gets jumped by black fans, and the G.S.E. (Green Street Elite, what the West Ham supporting thugs call themselves, and are lead by none other than Pete) all seem to be white, I’m still wondering if this was purposely done for some sort of race-based reasons, or is it just that West Ham supporters are majorly predominantly white? Anyway, the G.S.E. roll up to save the day for Matt.
The first big fight of the movie ensues and Matt gets his very first taste of violence, and the movie continues on in that vein throughout.
Elijah Wood is excellent in this movie, some people reckon he’ll never escape the mantle of Frodo and despite my attempt at humour above I frankly think thats bullshit (Sin City anybody). He plays the innocent hurt student to a tee, and a while into the movie makes a very good transition into a more, I hesitate to use the word hard because it’s often overused so I’ll say hardened, person and even starts to imitate the walk of the hooligans (think Liam Gallagher from Oasis).
Another big highlight is the character of Tommy Hatcher played by Geoff Bell, who played Sammy in The Business (reviewed earlier) who has another humdinger of a performance as a sadistic violent nutjob (can anyone say typecast). This character also adds an interesting dynamic to the movie that I won’t go into here.
Just a word of warning. The movie slows down a little half way through, and you are left feeling it has lost its way for a few minutes, but believe me your patience will be well rewarded, stick with it.
All in all this is an excellent movie with a decent, if slightly corny ending and is well worth going to see, in fact I defy anyone to miss it!
A romper stomper of a violent but story driven movie 4.5/5
22 responses so far ↓
1 the_syco // Sep 18, 2005 at 4:29 pm
Hmmm… it actually sounds good. At the cinema, I asked the girl at the counter about that and crash. It was fuzzball -v- random strangers. Having no intrest in football, I went to see Crash, but you make the film seem half decent, so I may go watch it.
2 Kermette // Sep 18, 2005 at 5:51 pm
Charlie Hunnam is in fact a British actor. Unfortunately that is his real accent (weird as it seems).
He was in Nicholas Nickleby (2002) and a rather good U.S. comedy which didn’t last long called Undeclared.
Bio => http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0402271/bio
:)
3 petey // Oct 24, 2005 at 12:25 pm
greatest movie ever *****
4 Baz_ // Oct 28, 2005 at 1:43 pm
I thought that last comment was swearing, but I think the asterisks are meant to represent 5 stars, had me wondering though which swear word has 5 letters and makes sense here?
5 Stephanie // Jan 29, 2006 at 5:20 pm
I saw greenstrete at the cnima , it has got to b the best film i have ever saw in my life !! i now own it on dvd ! the good thing is that you dont need to know about football to watch the film ! it explains everyfin !! absalout superb song !! very moving and emotionaly conkering !! must see movie !! x
6 thebiggoldfish // Feb 23, 2006 at 1:08 am
fucking quality my son nothing else to say blew me away i never thought i’d see a better film than id or football factory, and who would have thought a yank could be so good in a british flick. would also like to know where i can get the chant “i’m forever blowing bubbles”
7 Amber // Mar 10, 2006 at 5:33 am
green street is amence it is the best film i have seen in a while and one blood is a class tune and im forever blowin bubbles i went on to kazaa and downloaded them cause i thought they were that good i thought football factory was rubbish n that was supposed to b like it but no way it was 10 times better
8 ollie // Mar 16, 2006 at 9:19 pm
im forever blowing bubbles
pretty bubbles in the air
they fly so high
they reach the sky
and like my dreams
they fade and die
i dont even like football but green street and football factory are best films i have ever seen they arsum!
9 ollie // Mar 16, 2006 at 9:21 pm
im forever blowing bubbles
pretty bubbles in the air
they fly so high
they reach the sky
and like my dreams
they fade and die
THE TOTTENHAM ALWAYS RUNNING
THE CHELSEA RUNNING TO
THE WEST HAM ARE RUNNING, RUNNING AFTER YOU
UNITED UNITED
10 ollie // Mar 16, 2006 at 9:22 pm
im forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air, they fly so high, they reach the sky, and like my dreams, they fade and die……….. i absolutly hate football but green street and football factory are the 2 best films i have seen.
11 ollie // Mar 16, 2006 at 9:25 pm
im forever blowing bubbles, pritty bubbles in the air, then fly so high, they reach the sky, then like my dream, they fade and die…… i hate football but greenstreet and football factory have got 2 be the 2 best films i have seen my fave part on green street is when boffa gets pissed out his head n starts singin the chant, my fave part of football factory gotta be ya met stanley?
12 Kersten // Mar 22, 2006 at 9:07 pm
Green street is just out it belgium where i live. Here it’s called ‘Hooligans’ Don’t know why but it doesn’t mather This film just Tuched me and I COuldn’t stop singing ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles…’ I couldn’t wait to go to the next match wich is a derby between KV Mechelen and Racing Mechelen and STAND MY GROUND AND FIGHT. JUST F*CKING FAB EXTREEM GREAT…The best film Ever !!!
13 michelle // Apr 9, 2006 at 7:05 pm
i loved this movie! but its a violent for me!!! lol
i would defenitly give this movie 5 stars!! a must see movie! the best movie i have seen in ages!
14 liv // Apr 12, 2006 at 9:24 pm
i lv green street it is da bzt film eva by far im not even in 2 football n i lv da part wen sxc pete cumz out in jst a towel wish iz towel wud fall lol ez well fit x
15 Mark Bolton // Apr 12, 2006 at 9:29 pm
It is the best film i have ever seen! Much better than footvball factory, much more violent, exciting and ace!
16 andy jamieson // Apr 29, 2006 at 11:32 am
it iz fuckin mazin ad wotch it over nd over agen well done G.S.E nd for fuk sack stop sayin soccer
17 Debra // May 27, 2006 at 11:18 pm
omg!! Fkin love green street!!! =D its amazin!!! and Charlie Hunnam is absolutely stunnin!!! =D=D mmm! hate the ending =( makes me cry!! =(
xx
Forever blowing bubbles
pretty bubbles in the air
they fly so high
they reach the sky
and like my dreams they fade and die .. =)
18 david // Jun 18, 2006 at 4:42 am
great movie, but I seem to remember an episode or episodes of the brithish program called the bill. A policemen entered into one of these firms and then had trouble bringing himself to charge anyone.
Anyway if you have seen these episodes of the Bill you will think like me that it is a knock of.
19 david // Jun 18, 2006 at 4:50 am
Ollie I think youll find theses are the words
Im forever blowing bubles,
Pretty bubles in the air,
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams they fade and die,
Fortunes always hiding,
I looked everywhere,
Im forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air!
UNITED UNITED UNITED
20 belgiumm // Feb 25, 2007 at 5:35 pm
hi i’m from belgium and i’ve looked to this movie and i think he’s great!! and there are pretty boys like charlie hunnam
I’m forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air,
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams they fade and die.
Fortune’s always hiding,
I’ve looked everywhere,
I’m forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air
UNITED!!UNITED!!UNITED!!
GSE 4-EVER!!! greetz lizzie
21 Deneka // Mar 1, 2007 at 11:36 am
D style of pete fuckin animal film!!!!!!!!!!
22 bubble blowarh // Jun 6, 2007 at 12:48 pm
best movie ever.. cuz east london!!!! is wonderfull !!!!!!
in copenhagen we have a song like that.. i can writ it in danish and the translate to english..
for kobenhavn!!! er vores by!!! vi går amok så i må hellere soge ly!!!! igennem ild!!!1 igennem vand!!! vi kæmper for jer vi er holdets stolte mand!!
cuz copenhagen!! is our city!! we go mental so you better hide!!! through fire!!! through water!!! we fight for you, we are the proud men of the team!! and again and again
or something like that..
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