Though titled THIS IS ENGLAND, the film’s action takes place in a part of England unfamiliar to tourists.  Set in the Midlands, the area where Brit filmmaker Shane Meadows grew up, this is the England that Meadows knows best.  Expectedly, his film, based on his childhood experiences packs quite the bite.

1983 in a grim coastal town.  The film begins with an impressive compilation of disturbing newsreel photographs of Thatcher’s England.  12-year old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) is a kid having it rough.  His father was killed fighting in Falkland’s War.  He is brought up by a single mum (Jo Hartley), broke but loving.  An amusing scene has her convincing the doubting Shaun that the Doc Marten’s that he wants are out of fashion.  (Odd thing is that they are now.) Bullied at school and misunderstood, he finds solace in the friendship of a group of local skinheads led by Woody (Joe Gilgun).  Through Woody, Shaun comes into contact with a highly volatile racist Combo (Stephen Graham) who takes him on as a protégé.  Combo leads Shaun in a downward spiral of hate and destruction.

Shaun’s story of his rites-of-passage is not pleasant telling.  Yet the deeper he gets into trouble, the more interesting the film becomes.  Meadows clearly differentiates the good guys from the bad guys, pretty much like in western films as he directed ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS, a British western.  Woody has good intentions, looks after Shaun and loves his girlfriend.  On the other hand, Combo is unable to cope, even with his own emotions.  A moving segment has him declaring his love for Lol while she tells him off.  Here Combo ignores the fact that she befriends Indians and Pakistanis in her neighbourhood.  Meadows shows how love is blind.  Combo has just wrecked a Pakistani’s grocery store.

Despite the rough nature of the tale, Meadows’ film contains scenes of pure heart.  The most impressive and amusing concerns Cynth, Shaun’s mum admonishing Woody’s lot for cropping Shaun’s hair.  After an apology by Woody’s Lol, she leaves Shaun with the new friends asking Woody to take care of him.  Another moving scene is Shaun’s naïve and frank romance with Smell (Rosamund Hanson).

Performances are top-notch terrific.  Thomas Turgoose is a real find as Shaun.  Those familiar with Meadows’ films will recognize old faces in the form of Frank Harper (TwentyFourSeven, A ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS) and Andrew Shim, the lead kid in ROMEO BRASS now grown up.

One slight flaw is the shift of narrative at the end.  After a weed smoking session, Combo goes bonkers with Milky, beating him up.  The reason for Combo going into the violent mood is necessary but unbelievable.  For one, Milky is the one who supplied the whole group with the weed.  Secondly, smoking it makes one drowsy and loving rather than violent.

Of the 5 of Meadows films, THIS IS ENGLAND is the most serious and most effective in getting his message across.  I did not think of the film that much the first time I viewed it at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006.  On second viewing, Meadows careful plotting and genius comes through.  THIS IS ENGLAND is his most successful film at the U.K. box-office.  Finally, Meadows has earned his recognition.