A modest, near-flawless gem, This Is England is the fifth feature by the young British director Shane Meadows, doing his best work since he first hit the festival scene in the mid-1990s with his hilarious, raw-hewn shorts “Small Time.”
90
NewsweekDavid Ansen
NewsweekDavid Ansen
It has the feel of a classic coming-of-age story. It's the sleeper of the summer.
88
Premiere
Premiere
This Is England may be best summed up as a "coming-of-age" story that puts aside the clichéd baggage often carried by the description and ultimately ends up being moving, genuinely funny, thought-provoking, and highly recommended.
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Sad, menacing, empathetic story.
75
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
Turgoose, in his first film role, is entirely convincing as the strong-willed but naïve Shaun, and Graham is a genuine fright as the feral prototype of the violent skinhead culture on the horizon.
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The 34-year-old Meadows has assembled an effective cast, especially newcomer Thomas Turgoose as Shaun and veteran Stephen Graham as Combo.
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
British director Shane Meadows' strongest film to date is also his most personal: A stylish fictionalization of his own wayward youth, spent among a group of working-class skinheads in Thatcher's England.
70
Variety
Variety
With its knockout lead perfs and taut if slightly familiar construction, this '80s-set dramedy about a skinhead gang reps Meadows' most fluently made film so far.
60
Village Voice
Village Voice
Facile pop psychology is the real tragedy here, a double disappointment given the film's smart take on pop culture.