The Club

Yes, I liked this movie, and maybe more so because it was British and a mighty welcome change from the guns packed Hollywood gangster flicks.

This is the tale of a man with his heart on his sleeve but failing his life and thus gets involved in an ever increasing cycle of violence. It is relentless and tense from start to finish, with strong acting, likable characters and some clever twists. Also, the 80s atmosphere is very well rendered, the depiction of gritty cityscapes and torn families is actually...beautiful.

I strongly recommend it, despite the graphic violence at times which may be disturbing if central to the plot, it has a more realistic and heartfelt touch than most of the movies I've seen.

To be honest, I reckon this knocks spots off any Guy Richie gangland type film. This is British Cinema at it's best and I was left wanting the film to just go on longer. The way it finishes with a blast of Bob Relf's northern soul number Blowing my Mind to Pieces just left you feeling excited about what had gone before. Yes it is brutal in places, funny too, as well as genuinely scary, not scary in the horror film type way but in the scared for the main characters. Brilliantly acted, the soundtrack of decent soul, Gwen Guthrie's Keep the Fire's Burning, Chic's Everybody Dance and even Willie Tee's One Way Street and the fact I found myself caring about the characters kept me hooked on the film right from the beginning. I can't recommend this film enough if you like a good hard film, well constructed with plenty of nostalgia thrown in.

Tired of endless 'Mockney' gangster flicks? Fed up with Danny Dyer? Bored with the same plots and dialogue recycled time after time (think Essex Boys anyone)? Then Clubbed is just the antidote you need.

Set in Birmingham in the early 1980s, a meek factory work (with a shaded backstory) re-establishes his pride, confidence and even masculinity in the dangerous world of nightclub security. The acting, direction and production values are simply first class; characters are brought to life as three dimensional people with challenges, values, beliefs and problems like everyone else; and, yes, the violence is frequent, messy and sudden - again, just like in real life - but like every other life lesson and action (beneficial or otherwise) contained within this morality play, its use is never without consequences.

I went in to this movie with no expectations and came away happy. This is a story of love and devotion and doing what you feel is the right thing. The main actor reminded me of Bill Moseley visually. He is a dad just trying to do what it takes to keep his girls safe and loved. He decides to try boxing and from this, becomes a club bouncer with the man that is teaching him to fight. The other players at the club are also bouncers. There is a sense of family with all of these men but Sparky. With a baby on the way he makes some bad decisions in order to save money to provide for his family. There is a mobster and his guys involved and this is what complicates the relationships. The end of the movie was very heartwarming. It was nice to see a movie that left me feeling happy and remembering how important our loved ones are.

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this one, but I thought it might be o.k - So I was pleasantly surprised, as I found myself gripped within the first 10 minutes.

This film is fast paced, so you won't get bored. It just gets on with it and flows nicely throughout. No filler, no overly long dialogue, and no corny subplots.

Not one for the faint hearted, as adrenaline is sure to pump throughout. Not many movies manage to hit the right spots at the right time, so these guys did a good job.

The soundtrack is great, and really compliments the action. The acting is realistic, and the casting was superb. You become quite attached to the characters throughout this short journey.

With action, violence, drama, crime, comedy, and touching moments, this film should appeal to a wide range of people.

As far as British film goes, this movie is right up there, and possibly in a league of its own.

A very enjoyable and touching flick, which I'd recommend to anybody - especially fans of British cinema.

9/10