[cert 18, 100 mins]
This is England is the story of a summertime school holiday, those long weeks between terms where life-changing events can take place. It’s 1983 and 12-year-old Shaun is an isolated boy growing up in a grim coastal town, whose father has died fighting in the Falklands War. Over the course of the summer holiday he finds fresh male role models when those in the local skinhead scene take him in. With his new friends Shaun discovers a world of parties, first love and the joys of Doc Marten boots. Here he meets Combo, an older, racist skinhead who has recently been released from prison. As Combo’s gang harass the local ethnic minorities, the course is set for a rite of passage that will hurl Shaun from innocence to experience.
Director:Shane Meadows
Starring:Jo Hartley, Stephen Graham, Thomas Turgoose, George Newton
Level:AS, A2
Subjects:General Studies, History, Media Studies
