Must See: Green Street Hooligans

[swerb]

Someone told me about this flick 5-6 months ago and its been lingering on my Netflix queue. Then, when Mitch reccomended it, I figured it ws pretty safe to move this one to the top of the list.

Great movie.

Plot line - Elijah Wood's (Frodo Baggins) character gets kicked out of Harvard, taking the fall for his politically connected rich snobby roommate in a coke bust. With nowhere to go, he travels across the pond to Dannycrisp land to stay with his sister. In short time, he gets involved with the "Green Street Elite" ... a gang that supports the West Ham soccer (err ... football) team. All hell then breaks loose, with gratuitous amounts of rampant violence throughout the film.

Couple thoughts ...

~Yes, the film is violent, and glorifies violence. But even if you have a problem with this ... it's done right, and offers a stunning insight into the world of these soccer maniacs.

~Elijah Wood, I thought he was as typecast as anyone not named James Gandolfini. He does a good job, and there's no Frodo Baggins thoughts at all in this film. He comes off as a little John Amaechi, but it only adds to the film, as it provides a starker contrast to what he becomes.

~The dude who plays Pete Dunham, brother to Frodo's wife, and eventual Frodo compatriot ... this is one of the best acting performances of the last 5-10 years.

Folks, as Mitch mentioned in last Fridays Crystal Ball, this is a no-brainer rental. A very good film.

[Guest]

Swerb...if you didn't notice, you had two of the actors from "Band of Brothers" in prominent roles.

Marc Warren, who played the brother-in-law Pete, played Private Blythe, the soldier who suffered shortly from hysterical blindness. And Ross McCall was one of the Green Street Elite, but also played Liebgott, the Jewish translator that was so freaked out at the death camp during the best episode "Why We Fight".

Now that I've rented it, I'm going to have to go out and buy it.

[swerb]

I recognized the Jewish translator guy.

"Pete" was Blythe from BoB ... yes, now that I think about it, he was.

Great performance from him. I mean, really great. You hated him at the beginning, began to understand his character through the middle, then loved his character late.

Good flick, thanks again for the reccomendation Mitch.