Review of Scum (2009) by Jason J — 03 Sep 2010

Classic British movie set in a young offenders borstal. It depicts the classes that the inmates grow into - the bullies, the boys who are often let by the wardens to carry on with their dirty work if they keep everyone in order, then there's the weaklings who often suffer as a result and the ones who just muck in, shut up and defend themselves when necessary. The story is about Carlin played by Ray Winstone, a young troublemaker who arrives at this borstal and has to climb up the ladder from being a neutral as so to speak to being the Daddy, the leader of the prison wing.

This movie is very controversial due to some sickening scenes. Ray Winstone would go on to have a good career playing hard man types; and this is where it all started. The actor has a much younger look about him than the grizzled actor many will know better; but he still fits the bill well here and is always believable in his role. Harrowing, yet breathtakingly well produced and shot, Scum should be considered one of the great British movies of the 1970s, and is still painstakingly effective today as it was then. Well worth watching even though a couple of scenes might make uncomfortable viewing.