Alan Clarke directs Tim Roth, Bill Stewart and Geoffrey Hutchings in this made-for-telly British movie following a young skinhead as rebels against every effort to punish or rehabilitate him.

I’ve watched this a few times in the past and always rated it but this watch blew me away. Roth’s debut performance is compulsive, nasty, complex and flawless. A delinquent in complete control. Always breaking down doors, even though he’s nicked the keys. His violence and crime are slowly revealed not to be impulsive acts of thuggery but long game plans of pointless destruction. Vandalism but with a crescendo. “Touching the dog’s arse.” Bring everyone down to his nihilist level. He’s kinda like a skinhead Joker. 16… first role… untrained… fuck me!

10

Perfect Double Bill: American History X (1998)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/