Purely Belter

Mark Herman's (2000) film, drawn from Jonathan Tullock's novel 'Season Ticket', is set in Newcastle upon Tyne in the late '90s.

It weaves the tale of Gerry (Chris Beattie) and Sewell (Greg McLane) as they struggle to make sense of the deficiencies in their fractured lives and solve their insoluble problems, with football.

Within the framework of the close friendship between these two young men, we join them on a journey around Newcastle which can have only one ultimate destination - St James' Park, the home of the 'Toon', Newcastle United Football Club.

But the route is tortuous and led by the fertile imagination and determination of Gerry, Sewell and the rest of us are drawn along as we get to know the characters who populate their special world.

Gerry's semi-absent father (Tim Healy) terrorises the family between safe houses, beating his mother (Charlie Hardwick) and abusing his sister (Kerry Ann Christiansen) as he goes, while Sewell's grandfather (Roy Hudd) struggles to fill the gap left by his parents who have absconded long ago.

Yet, despite everything that confronts them, they unite together with a single, simple achievable aim in life - season tickets to watch Newcastle play.

This is a great film which - like Mark Herman's earlier films 'Brassed Off' and 'Little Voice' - contains the essential spirit of the region it reflects. What shines through is the indominatable spirit and irrepressible resilience of the young.

As the film closes a final unexpected twist places our two heroes exactly where they have wanted to be all along.

Mark Herman's (2000) film, drawn from Jonathan Tullock's novel 'Season Ticket', is set in Newcastle upon Tyne in the late '90s.

It weaves the tale of Gerry (Chris Beattie) and Sewell (Greg McLane) as they struggle to make sense of the deficiencies in their fractured lives and solve their insoluble problems, with football.

Within the framework of the close friendship between these two young men, we join them on a journey around Newcastle which can have only one ultimate destination - St James' Park, the home of the 'Toon', Newcastle United Football Club.

But the route is tortuous and led by the fertile imagination and determination of Gerry, Sewell and the rest of us are drawn along as we get to know the characters who populate their special world.

Gerry's semi-absent father (Tim Healy) terrorises the family between safe houses, beating his mother (Charlie Hardwick) and abusing his sister (Kerry Ann Christiansen) as he goes, while Sewell's grandfather (Roy Hudd) struggles to fill the gap left by his parents who have absconded long ago.

Yet, despite everything that confronts them, they unite together with a single, simple achievable aim in life - season tickets to watch Newcastle play.

This is a great film which - like Mark Herman's earlier films 'Brassed Off' and 'Little Voice' - contains the essential spirit of the region it reflects. What shines through is the indominatable spirit and irrepressible resilience of the young.

As the film closes a final unexpected twist places our two heroes exactly where they have wanted to be all along.

It's not everyday that a movie moves you beyond words. As a football fan myself, I totally understood how important it was for those kids to have season tickets for Newcastle United. I could totally relate to the love they had for their club and the way they wanted to be respected. After all, that was all they ever wanted: respect. How to get it? Well, those are just boys with difficult lives. Their way to get respect was unorthodox, but how can I blame them? It has some funny moments, but this is mostly a sad story. Sure, this is not a feel-good movie. But why would it be? It is much better than that. And despite all the bitterness, I was left with a smile in my face and a lonely tear in my eye: those boys were happy and I was happy with them. Maybe the direction is too much predictable (after you see one Mark Herman movie, you pretty much saw all he has to offer as a director), but it has amazing characters and unpredictably amazing acting. I just love a movie that doesn't let me be indifferent to the story and the characters. This is such a movie. Totally recommend it.

Rougher and less stylised than Herman's previous features Brassed Off and Little Voice, Purely Belter nevertheless contains elements fast becoming his trademark. Sharp comic dialogue sugaring a pill of biting social satire; life for the post-Thatcher working class; and those little things that make life bearable, but end up cutting you off from life. In Brassed Off it was Danny and his band, in Little Voice LV and her records, and for Gerry and Sewell it's football.

Like Gerry, I am a passionate football fan who has only just been to her first match - Glentoran v. Liverpool in Belfast. A pre-season friendly, not even at Anfield. But when Robbie Fowler - my favourite player - scored, my primal yell of 'YESS!!' started at my feet and rushed through all my veins. It was wonderful. Herman captures that feeling even when the lads enter the despised ground of their enemies Sunderland.

In Brassed Off and Little Voice, Danny and LV break free of their obsessions into lives which are far from perfect, but real. But Gerry and Sewell don't. Maybe because they're so much younger: Danny can remember when the mine was thriving, LV remembers when her Dad was alive. Gerry and Sewell have only ever known this life. Only ever been waiting for Saturday to come.

Perhaps that makes this the darkest of the three films. Perhaps not. Purely Belter will thoroughly entertain you, and if you let it, it will make you really think.

I saw this movie on a sort-of premiere thinking "this must be a crap flick", I didn't even know what the title means. But it actually turned out to be enjoyable, funny and heartbreaking little movie. All the performances were excellent, the script is good and the atmosphere is perfect for a British low class setting. If you have a chance, see it.