Review of Scum (2009) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014
Directed by Alan Clarke (Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire Rita (1985) and Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987)), and produced by Davina Belling and Clive Parsons (Gregory's Girl (1981) and Comfort and Joy (1984)), this started out as a play for the BBC written by Roy Minton.
But the BBC banned it before it was broadcast, so Clarke raised the money to remake it as a film. It's still heavy going, and hard to watch. Set in a borstal, 3 new inmates arrive. Carlin (Ray Winstone), Angel (Alrick Riley) and Davis (Julian Firth), all prosecuted for various crimes and misdemeanors.
They try to adjust to tough life behind bars. Carlin just wants to try and get by with a low profile, in the hope that he'll be released sooner, but he soon finds himself up against Banks (John Blundell), who is the 'Daddy' of the Borstal.
But when he witnesses Davis being set upon by Banks and other inmates, Carlin plans revenge, and it's not long before Carlin becomes the 'Daddy' of the borstal. He also see's that the inmates get what they want, but there's a few who stand up to Carlin's ways.
It's a very violent film, and you can't believe they got away with this, but it's impact was felt and reached the British Government, who ended up closing borstals up and down the UK, and replacing them with young offenders institutions.
If a film can have that kind of impact on a country, it's done something right.
This review of Scum (2009) was written by Stuart K on 30 Apr 2014.
Scum has generally received very positive reviews.
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