Released 18th Septemeber 2009
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I think it is safe to say many people - those who have seen the original - will be sceptical about remaking such a classic film, But it is also safe to say that Nick Love may just surprise a few people with his stylish, witty and warm take.
Adapted from Alan Clarke’s 1989 critically acclaimed TV film, it retells a similar story to the original, but this time centring on Dom, the young impressionable lad, who gets drawn into the charismatic but dangerous world of the firm’s top boy, Bex. With a mouth on him and backbone to back it up, Dom easily fits in, but soon finds out that once in, it’s not as pretty as the clothes and there is no easy way out.
Don’t be mistaken, though, this is not a straight-up ‘hooligan’ film - it has a heart. Of course, you do see a few fight scenes but they are not as graphic as you would expect and they don’t seem to last long. What director Nick Love does in these scenes is so subtle and clever; in the midst of the fighting and screaming you find yourself drawn away from the violence and curiously just watching Dom and what he is doing. Ultimately this film isn’t about all the fighting and the violence. It is about getting caught up in it…
Now, it is all too easy to dismiss or dislike a remake, but there will be many people who have not seen the original, so they will be able to look at it in the way it was intended - with fresh eyes. One thing that makes this film work as a remake is that it is still relevant. Today’s youth can relate to it. It might be set in the 80s and they might wear suspect outfits, but it is very much about gang culture, and that is something that could not be more evident than on today’s streets. That said it doesn’t glorify it, but it also doesn’t hide what it is like to be in ‘a firm’. It very much keeps the premise of the original, only this time underneath all the bravado, there is a touching South London coming-of-age tale.
Although there is a definite progression from his previous films like The Football Factory and The Business, fans of such will not be disappointed. The Firm is still full of Nick Love humour, slang and charm. Perhaps Love is growing up, or in love? Either way, we like this softer storytelling side. This film is a success as a writer and director and it is a far cry from his previous hits. He has treated this with love and care, expanding on a story that no one probably thought needed it. Love is a truly talented director who, with this cheeky number, has just moved his own goal posts!
Rachel Baglin
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Synopsis
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Loosely adapted from Alan Clarke’s 1989 classic TV Dram, Nick Love’s film is set earlier in the 80s and retells a similar story to the original - but from a different character’s point of view. The film centres on Dom, a young wannabe football casual, who gets drawn into the charismatic but dangerous world of the firm’s top boy, Bex.
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Film Facts
Official site: http://www.thefirm84.com/
UK Release Date: 18th September 2009
Director: Nick Love
Writers: Al Ashton (original screenplay) & Nick Love (adaptation)
Cast: Daniel Mays (‘Yeti’), Doug Allen (‘Trigger’), Calum McNab (‘Dom’) and Paul Anderson (‘Bex’).
Distributor: Warner Bros / Vertigo Films
Certificate: TBC
Run-time: 90 mins
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Video On Real:
Trailer
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Nick Love Interview
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Daniel Mays, Paul Anderson & Calum MacNab
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