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.

Typically northern movie about a couple of working-class kids having fun and getting into scrapes while trying to save up for season tickets to the Toon, this has quite a few moments of hilarity and some of moving tragedy, was eclipsed by Billy Elliot at the cinemas but deserves some attention. The two leads are pretty reasonable for child actors and the story is kinda fun too, fans of yer Full Monty, Brassed Off, Gregory's Girl type thing should probably give it a chance.

I cannot understand the numptees that have given a low rating to this film - it's quite simply British film making at its best.

What really enhances this for me is the films raw honesty. There's no frills to this and it pictures lower class British life as it is - with a touch of humour too! The cast are (to me) unknown and Chris Beattie who plays the lead role is a cracking actor with a big future I hope.

A movie debut by Geordie legend, Alan Shearer, does not impact on tghe plot line or the viewer enjoyment either.

This is never going to be the best film you ever watch, but I emplore you to obtain a copy and enjoy what I think's a fantastic film!

Cheers, GE

Soccer is without any doubt the most popular sport in Europe. The supporters can be very fanatic and for some every excuse is good enough to spend a lot of money on their favorite team. But it's also in this stadiums that people from all classes come together and not everybody is able to buy a ticket week after week because they are too poor. Their love for a soccer club can sometimes get out of hand and that's where this movie has found its inspiration.

It tells the story of two young boys who live in a rough neighborhood of the industrial city of Newcastle and who want to buy season tickets for their local football team Newcastle United. But because they don't have any money they will have to try anything to find some. They try to find some scrap metal which they can sell, but will also steal, try to rob a bank and do many other illegal stuff. But their actions don't go by unnoticed and soon they are caught by the justice department. Their dream of going to the football that season is over or isn't it...

The movie makers in the UK seem to prefer socially realistic dramas over other genres of movies (although costume dramas are popular as well) and I must say that I can appreciate that. It's that feeling of realism that keeps me interested time after time and when they add some very fine humor to it like they have done in this movie, I only like it more. There are people who will say that it is hard to like little criminals like the boys in this movie, but personally I don't have any problem with it. Fact is that there are indeed still a lot of impoverished areas in the industrial cities and why should these areas or the people that live there not be shown in a movie? Is it because that only disrupts some people's image of a perfect society? I don't know, but it isn't so that the movie glorifies the actions of the boys. It actually gives some biting social commentary on the broken families where they come from, the poverty which they live in,...

Even though I'm not a soccer fan I really had a good time watching this movie. That's why I would like to say that, even when you hate the game, you can still like the movie. Watch it for the biting criticism, the fine humor, the good acting by the boys,... and you'll notice that this movie is underrated by many. I give this movie a 7.5/10.

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.