This Is English Film-making!

This Is England is director Shane Meadows semi- autobiographical exposé of skinhead culture and life growing up in Thatcher's council estate Britain.

My anticipation for this film was immeasurable, to the extent that I had to visit my local cinema and beg that they showed the film. My begging eventually paid off and I got exactly what I expected.

Like Meadows previous releases TIE is a perfect mix of social commentary and biting humour. He handles the difficult subject matter here with masterful skill, showing that the skinhead culture was not built on racial hatred but in fact the opposite. It was built on the back of the Jamaican ska movement. The original 60's skins shaving their heads to look more like their Jamaican co-workers, and inheriting their musical tastes.

But TIE is not all about being a skin, its about Sean's loss of innocence, his struggle to accept and understand the death of his father, and the cruel world surrounding him.

As far as I know Thomas Turgoose (Sean) had never acted before. And this for my money is quite possibly the best debut performance from a child actor I've ever seen. I was the same age as Sean in 198i and the experience I had viewing this film was like watching my life flash back in front of my eyes.

This Is England totally captivated me. This Is English film-making! The rest pales in comparison.

10/10