Alan Clarke's 1989 movie about British soccer hooligans is ported to the early '80s in this loose remake. The film follows Dom (Callum McNab), a young man caught up in the enticing world of firms -- soccer gangs who make merry and spar with the supporters of rival teams. Bright and funny, Dom is easily welcomed into the ranks by the firm's leader, Bex (Paul Anderson). But as Dom is drawn into the escalating violence of his clique, he decides to back out. Doing that is easier said than done.
Written and directed by Nick Love, who made the similarly themed The Football Factory, The Firm's greatest departure from the original is following Dom -- a relatively minor character in the original -- rather than Bex (originally played by Gary Oldman). ~ Robert Silva, Rovi
While it doesn't exactly break new ground thematically, this is Love's most accomplished film to date. Like the terrace heroes who are its subjects, it's as good-looking and stylish as it is dangerously seductive.
Love's films have, in the past, brought me out in a rash - but this one is watchable. It's well made; there's a persistent and welcome undercurrent of humour in the script that reminded me of Love's sparky debut, Goodbye Charlie Bright,
The odd thing is that Love's version feels so bright and breezy, as if he's cosying back up to a wider audience who were turned off by Outlaw's grimy nihilism. If that's the case, it's a wacky choice of subject, but the effort's appreciated.
The film is covered in talent, including Love's, of the sort that makes you look forward to the next thing they do. Here, you feel they have a lot to climb over, but there are scenes where the attempt to get close to something real is powerfully inspired.
It's all ridiculously clichéd and over the top, yet once you give up taking it seriously and surrender to its relentless blokeishness, The Firm proves to be an enjoyable Shane Meadows-lite ride with a bit of wideboy charm.
The best things about this are spanking dialogue and razor-sharp slang and the plethora of new faces it introduces to the screen. But as far as the impact is concerned Love has bottled out.
The Firm is never less than watchable, thanks to some amusing dialogue and strong performances from its two leads, but there's nothing here to mark it out from other hooligan dramas.
This umpteenth take on the same old story is a pretty polished effort from writer-director Nick Love, you need a lot more than a snazzy soundtrack and Jimmy Savile's tracksuit collection to make it worth an unqualified thumbs-up.
Love, a visual stylist with nothing original to say, delivers plenty of sickening violence, but softens the outcome - and the point - with a sentimental, redemptive ending.
20/08/2010I enjoyed the hard-knock dialogue, it was quite entertaining to listen to. Well, the fact is it's not good morally, but it's a good flick to see why it's not good to do what it is they did, you know wha' I mean?Another one of those "done before" films but hey, same drink different bottle and label. All I
know is that it's a brutal flick with maybe a message, maybe, who knows what they're really trying to teach and encourage.Full of violence and wit, dudes with no care in the world may give it a fiver, but I still have my screws. Not a fiver for me but a definite alright watch. With witty dialogues that pack as much of a punch as the brutality in the story.
Fish and chips filmmaking. Useless tasteless pointless. It keeps the same pace and tone up to the very end where they have a little fight. There is a little humor in it but even the BBC can give you better than the firm can. The firm uses a theme that has been used so often that you might as well stare at a wall.
It
does not even really give a decent picture of 80's football violence while this movie pretends to show some of it.
When you have a cup of water don't pretend its a pint of.......
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