The Firm (1989)

Eighties football in England was blighted by hooliganism and organised firms of violent hooligans. This is the story of Bex Bissell, leader of a football firm based loosely on West Ham's Inter City Firm, and how he tries to organise a firm to cause trouble at the 1988 European Championship.Although it is a little dated, the film was made at the height of the yuppie era and brick like mobile phones and sharp suits predominate, The Firm's portrayal of groups of men who love violence, but in the case of Bex Bissell have respectable careers and mortgages, is accurate for the time as hooliganism had moved on from the unemployed skinhead image it had in the late seventies. Also Bissell's main rival, Birmingham hooligan Yeti, played excellently by Phil Daniels, drives around in a Volkswagen Golf GTI and wears designer clothes.As for the violence, even now it is quite shocking, but true of the era it was made in. In one scene a young hooligan has his face slashed, in retaliation Bissell tortures the man who carried out the attack, and in the final scene, a vicious fight between Bissell and Yeti sees Bissell gunned down and killed. Also it's debatable whether some of the men have any interest in football, Yeti is seen at a match discussing violence and for all Bissell is seen playing in the opening credits, he seems more interested in his firm and the next fight than match results.All in all The Firm is an excellent film made in the era just before football became the new rock and roll and became respectable. Look out for Steve Mc Fadden( Phil Mitchell) in a cameo and the late Terry Su Patt is excellent as Yusef, a new hooligan who gets his face slashed on his first outing with Bisell's firm.Ironically after I posted this review, there has been hours of rioting by England fans in Marseille, which proves the problem isn't totally dead.

Firstly, I'd like to say that the first two reviewers for this film have completely missed the point. I could easily take their reviews apart.This film is as true as can be to portray how the hooligan had evolved from the 70's. The culture had swiftly moved onto the lower-middle classes by the 1980's. No longer did they need to be "Skinheads" or "Working class scum" who used the movement as a means to protest against the state.In order for the hooligans to survive they had to become more intelligent and more cunning to outwit the police. The football shirts were put in one draw and the suits and cotton shirts were pulled out of another - the element of disguise.Gary Oldman is Bex, the hilarious yet psychotic estate agent who has one goal - to be top boy in Europe. Along with his crew, The ICC, Bex puts it to two other rival firms that he wishes to lead them all into Europe...but they're having none of it. They let him know that the only way he will get that position is if his best ten can beat theirs.As well as trying to keep him marriage together Bex battles his way to becoming "top boy"...but does he actually succeed? Alan Clarke's films are always witty, gritty and as realistic as they can get. Its a shame the man made only one more film before being taken from this world (cancer) in 1990.More realistic than "Football Factory" and "I.D", its highly recommended you watch this Made-For-TV classic.

... because the culture of 'hooliganism' has moved on since this was made. It certainly hasn't gone away, but the organisation of such things is tighter these days with the aid of technology like the Internet. Hopefully these developments will be addressed in upcoming fare like "The Football Factory".So the 'values and ideals' shown in this film are different because it's a bygone age. Less materialism and more violence exists EVERYWHERE these days, so showing it creeping into suburbia isn't necessarily as shocking now as perhaps it was when viewed at the time. There are some nice performances here though from a wealth of British acting talent who went on to bigger things, and Oldman keeps you watching throughout as only he can; holding the screen with his intense passion. Disappointingly, though, the scenes which are most effective are often undercut by what follows, with the pace never quite finding itself even at a short 67mins. The ending can similarly be seen as a damp squib, but the one or two powerful moments in getting there make this a worthwhile experience for fans of some of the actors.

I only watched this film last night and despite its short length, its really good. One of the very few films that Gary shows off a lovely British accent. You see Gary as a proud guy who is violent but also has a heart and cares for his wife and child.I recommend this film to hard core Gary Oldman fans only though. Others may not like its content.Is there no film that Gary cant do!!!!10/10