A sincere, reflective but ultimately terrifying look at a very influential time in every young person’s life.
It’s that period when friends are more important than family, and no matter the circumstances that surround us, all we feel is the kind of ignorant hope that comes from having more years in front, rather than behind us. It’s the time in our lives when we are most open to new experiences of love and friendship, but also susceptible to indoctrination and hatred.
Meadows uses the skinhead scene of the early 80’s to explore working class complexities and contradictions with a kind of thoughtfulness that’s frequently missing from these kinds of movies.
There’s no poverty porn here; no judgment.
Just an honest look at a country slowly being torn apart at the seams by hatred and despair.
Masterpiece.