This is England

This is Shane Meadows new project set in the early 80's, during the time of the Falklands Conflict.

It is about a 12-year-old boy, Shaun played by the excellent Thomas Turgoose, who recently suffered a tragic loss and is bullied by older children at his school. He has anxieties about fitting in and subsequently is alienated more because of this.

It's the end of term, and Shaun has a chance encounter with a bunch of Skinheads, all around 17 to 20 years old. One of the boys, Woody, takes pity on Shaun and soon adopts him as a sort of mascot for the gang. They have fun wrecking old derelict houses and generally just messing about, nothing sinister just good innocent fun.

We are then introduced to Combo, who is played by "Snatch's" brilliant Stephen Graham (now I don't use the word brilliant lightly, this performance is frighteningly good and yes he is frightening). He has just left prison and (along with a scary looking sidekick) is looking to catch up with his old mate Woody.

Combo's views are a little right wing to say the least and we finally meet the Skinhead that is portrayed in the newspapers, a thug, a racist, a bully and in Combo's terms slightly deranged.

A speech about patriotism is just the start then it's the racist bullying and the Nation Front meetings.

You will listen to these speeches and see the actions of the protagonists and think to yourself is this 1983 or is it now.

The film then meanders to a violent conclusion and Shaun's ultimate realisation that he entered a world he was not ready for just yet.

The film itself starts with the most fantastic montage showing a country heading out of the depression of the 70's into a more optimistic time. It hit home with myself, I was 12 years old in 1983 and this film captures the time with such vivid detail the new video games, war on telly for the first time, the hairstyles, the clothes, the music, a fine piece of period drama.

I loved "Dead Mans Shoes" and so was equally excited about seeing Shane Meadows new masterpiece. But please don't go to watch this film if you are looking for a pacey action filled film, its not. It is a peek into 6 weeks of a 12-year-old boy's life and the action labours at times and although there is no real plot line it still makes you feel that you have just watched a most satisfying film.

It will make you feel like laughing, crying and cringing. I believe that the acting is astounding and the scenery is breathtakingly real.

A film set in a not so distant patch that deals with issues still raging and still bubbling today, the faces may have changes but the voices haven't.