LouHomey
From my favorite movies..
Infamousta
brilliant actors, brilliant editing
FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
FountainPen
Absolutely fascinating film. You have to wonder, though, how accurate it is, especially with regard to the staff, the social workers who deal with juvenile delinquents. Interesting how the main scoundrel in this pic, a white teenager (played brilliantly by Tim Roth) who spews racial hatred, immediately befriends a black teenage lad with whom he shares a bedroom in the detention centre.
The film is totally fascinating, engrossing entertainment, but it is a tragedy because it deals with hugely serious problems in society, problems that ultimately affect us all, and which are still out of control.
Highly-recommended. 9/10.
dcmMovielover
"Made In Britain" follows Trevor, a 16 year old thug, thief, vandal, sociopath, over a three day period - but in this very short time frame his young life moves out of one phase and into another. Seemingly the consequences of his actions will have repercussions for the rest of his life and the phase he moves into is one destined to take him on a path to 'self destruction'.Set in London, 1982, the film was based on a case study of a youth. Trevor in the story is a skinhead with a nazi swastika tattooed on his forehead. He espouses racism and nationalist rhetoric, and commits racially aggravated attack on a Pakistani household - although whether he is an outright racist is debatable, as his only 'friend' in the film, Errol, is a black youth.The film begins with Trevor attending a court hearing, for an earlier attack on the Pakistani household. The motive for the crime appears to be racial. The court hearing adjourned, Trevor is taken by Harry, his social worker, to a Youth Assessment Hostel. Here Trevor will be assessed before returning to court for sentence and standing before the Magistrates charged with theft from a department store.Trevor has the appearance of an unrepentant thug and hooligan - and espouses the rhetoric of a far-right nationalist, full of aggression and venom. However, as it unfolds during the film's central piece (a very long sequence between Trevor and the social workers) Trevor transpires to be intelligent. He has argument and structure to his rhetoric, he has sharp wit and an observant grasp of society beyond his years. By the end of the sequence, whether Trevor is the 'nazi' we thought him to be, is questionable.Trevor, it would seem, is 'against authority' and namely against the British establishment - the system - although he prizes himself on his 'Britishness'. He is perhaps a kind of anarchic-patriot.The film is a masterfully crafted and acted piece of cinematic drama. It is earthy and in your face, has fantastic energy - in part owing to skillful use of stedicam - and like most, if not all of Alan Clark's films, does not use music or score. There is a fast aggressive punk song used to very good effect but only in the film's opening and closing titles."Made In Britain" is a tour de force, set among only several back street London locations, with a minimal amount of characters. The characters, though some only occupy one or two scenes, are interestingly multi-layered, such as PC Anson - the thuggish, possibly sadistic policeman who beats Trevor in a cell. Anson is perhaps Trevor's counterpart but who instead has opted to work for the state rather than to rebel against it.The acting is superb, first rate. The screen writing and direction are fantastic. Highly recommended.
Scott LeBrun
The extremely talented Tim Roth made his acting debut with this powerful little drama. Roth plays Trevor, a teen aged skinhead with no regard for the rules of society. As the story opens, he's being sent to a detention centre while authorities try to decide what to do about him. He doesn't have any real interest in changing his ways, and would prefer to spend his time stealing things, spouting racial hatred, and being a public nuisance in general.One can tell that 'Made in Britain' was originally made for television. It doesn't attempt to be overtly cinematic, but then it doesn't need to. David Leland wrote the intelligent script, making this an "angry young man" story with a memorable central character. One watches this unfold, doubtful that Trevor will be redeemable at some point, and only vaguely hopeful. When officials try to show him the error of his ways, he shows no interest. His compulsive need to defy authority overrides everything, and he simply refuses to stay out of trouble.Directed by Alan Clarke ("Scum"), and scored by anarchist musicians The Exploited, this gets a lot of juice from the magnetic performance by Roth. I'm sure people who watched 'Made in Britain' when it was new could sense a brilliant career in the making. Roth is also very nicely supported by Terry Richards, as the impressionable Errol, Bill Stewart, as Peter, Geoffrey Hutchings, as the superintendent, and Sean Chapman ("Hellraiser" 1 and 2) as Barry.Highly recommended viewing.Eight out of 10.
Vondaz
I have to say that I was disappointed with the ending. I enjoyed the journey, but felt let down by where I got dropped off.Actually, I say I enjoyed the journey, but actually even that was pointless. Trevor is an angry young man is he? More like Trevor is a moron (if only he'd been called Gordon). Why was he angry? Why was he rebellious? The superintendent gave a wonderful assessment of how he got to where he was. And it was all his own fault. No-one had put him there and no-one was forcing him to stay there. The script was not deep enough to give credence to Trevor's mindset.Also, there are contradictions – such as Trevor's racism towards the Pakistan man and yet he openly cavorts with Errol. Yes he stitches him up in the end, but he's happy to be seen with him and takes him on his sprees. A true racist wouldn't be seen in the company of Errol.Finally, and I know Roth fans will jump on me for this, but Roth is not that convincing as a hard-as-nails, scary skinhead. Yes he can snarl and yes he can shout and yes he can walk like he's meant to be hard, but it's not there in his eyes. He just doesn't convince.If you want an example of someone who played a racist, with intelligence and scared the whatsit out of me – then look at Ed Norton in American History X.And no – I am not American. I am British and grew up in the 70's and 80's in London.