Green Street (DVD)

It’s no mystery why the critically acclaimed UK flick Hooligans refuses to catch a break with the big Hollywood powerhouses. Snagging multiple awards at US film festivals (Malibu and South by Southwest included) and showing a solid audience at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Hooligans, with it’s incredibly engaging, unique and violent subject matter, is a surefire crowd-pleaser. However, no true American would enjoy watching British lads pick beat up a Harvard yank after a match of what us Westerners call “soccer”, now would they? Hooligans, directed by Lexi Alexander, not only brings audiences into the world of competitive UK football, but also poses important arguments over the value of brotherhood and the lengths at which one would go to remain a part of it.

Hooligans begins where Matt Buckman’s college career ends. Buckman (Elijah Wood), editor of the Harvard newspaper and typical New England overachiever, is caught in a fictitious drug scandal staged in order to keep rich and snobby roommate Jeremy Van Holden, (Terence Jay) out of trouble. Just shy of getting his degree and without a place to truly call home, Buckman flies oversees to join his sister Shannon (Claire Forlani) and her family. Shannon’s husband Steve has important plans for the evening and, although hesitant, leaves little Matt in the hands of brother Pete Dunham (Charlie Hunnam). As the full-time leader of team United’s Green Street Elite, a gang that UK “football” teams call “firms”, Pete wants nothing to do with the yank but following his brother’s orders and takes Matt out to his first football match. A bunch of broken bottles and bloody lips later, Buckman is hooked and wants in. The only problem? His hobby as a journalist and his American skin-- both of which could potentially bring the GSE out from the shadows and cause tremendous turmoil.

Hooligans is not only Matt Buckman’s story, but the story of female director Alexander. It’s almost ironic that the gruesome and barbaric subworld that is the backdrop to this film is so well documented by a woman. Alexander grew up in Germany with a brother who was an active member of a firm. The stories she lived and the tales he told make for the inspiration in this film.

Knowing that Hooligans is crafted from autobiographic material makes the characters’ relationships in the film even more real and touching. There is a working balance between the graphic frame-by-frame fight scenes and the dialogue development between the actors onscreen. Dunham and Buckman are related through blood, but also through the GSE. Their bond is tangible; and as Dunham invites Buckman into the firm, problems develop between the group. Shannon and Steve’s love is tested when his involvement in the GSE comes full circle- haunting the fate of his new family.

Although Hooligans is a film about football fanatics that go over the edge, Alexander creates characters that are much more three-dimensional than your classic villain. In doing so, the message she strives to tell is unclear: is Hooligans a cautionary story or does Alexander’s personal history lend for an understanding and acceptance of the firm subculture?

As long as Hooligans continues its circulation across the globe (release dates are set for fall of 2005 in parts of Europe), more and more Americans will latch on to its infectious spirit and even more movie producers will want to steer clear of the film and its anti-American sentiment. In turn, more superhero comic-b

So, you pick up a film about football hooligans, you have one of two ideas that it will be like, either it will be a straight forward people beating each other up, or it will be a boring football film were there is the odd bit of violence. This film is the inbetween with a great story line that will drag even the most harshest of critics through it with a great level of entertainment, never have I seen a movie like this that brings forward a descent story line. Great action, great drama and great comedy, if you have the right sense of humour. With some great twists and turns, this is a must own DVD.

if you like violence drugs and football with abit of comedy, this film is for you...if you havent seen it by now youve probably bin in prison :-)

Green Street Hooligans was directed and co-written by german director Lexi Alexander. I never heard of her before this film but I definitely have to give credit where it's due and there's no exception here. Alexander has done a great job in producing an insightful and interesting piece on the real life 'firms', not gangs, that involve themselves in football hooliganism. The story focuses on Matt Bruckner (Elijah Wood) an American student who has just been kicked out of Havard and comes to England to stay with his sister (played by Claire Forlani) and her husband Steve (Marc Warren). On arrival Matt meets Steve's brother Pete and later gets invloved with his firm who support West Ham United.

Green street Hooligans didn't do too well at the box office and quite a lot of critics slated it but in my view it should have got more credit than it did. I found the film very interesting and insightful. The fight scenes in the film were some of the most violent I've seen and the way that the director has captured this on film is excellent. I also admire the director's work with the composer as they have managed to blend the right kind of music with what is going on on screen. This shows especially in the last fight in the movie. There is also a great build up to that particular scene.

The acting in the movie was fairly good with the best being from Elijah Wood in my opinion. It was great to see him in a movie like this after 'The lord of the Rings' because it was something different for him and us the viewer. I also think the casting people did a great job in casting him as Matt Bruckner because he does make this character very believable. The other members of the cast also done an all round good job on screen.

So overall I recommend this movie quite highly but if you don't like anything to bloody or violent then this is definitely not for you. If you don't mind that kind of stuff then you'll get a kick out of this.

7/10

Set in the world of football hooliganism, Lexi Alexander's film casts Elijah Wood as a former journalism student who joins West Ham's 'firm' and runs riot with his newfound mates in London's East End
Hot on the Reebok-clad heels of Nick Love's The Football Factory comes Lexi Alexander's marginally better Green Street, another attempt to delve into the world of British football hooliganism. Based upon West Ham FC's own unofficial gang of ruffians - or 'firm' - known as the Green Street Elite (GSE), the film tells of how disgraced Harvard student Matt Buckner (Wood) gets sucked into a world of violence.

Arriving in England, Matt is introduced to the gang by his brother-in-law's younger sibling, Pete (Hunnam), now the self-styled leader of the GSE. While Matt's sister Shannon (Forlani) is appalled that her brother has become a member of his own personal Fight Club, her husband Steve (Warren) suffers divided loyalties between his wife and his tearaway brother.

As the film progresses, the once-great GSE - on the decline since the departure of their mysterious leader The Major - experience a renaissance after the weedy Matt joins and discovers he has a taste for blood. Expelled from Harvard for drug dealing - in fact, he took the rap for his rich roommate - Matt has a lot of pent-up anger, which he foists onto unsuspecting louts. Meanwhile, West Ham draw Millwall in the FA Cup, meaning a head-on collision between two of the league's hardest firms. Led by the gruesome Tommy Hatcher (Bell), scarred by the loss of his own son during a clash years before, the Millwall boys are out for revenge - not helped by the defection of greasy GSE member Bovver (Gregory). Just in case you don't quite get the main theme, Pete handily sums it up: "We stuck by our mates and stood our ground. That's what it's all about."

this flim is good, but is really is unrealisitc, i know people who say some scences would never happen.
but still pretty good movie.

GREEN STREET IS A MUST SEE FILM!
IT MAKES FOOTBALL FACTORY LOOK LIKE A GIRLY PLAYGROUND SCRAP!

Hugely disappointing film. Unrealistic, poor acting and even worse accents really make this film below average. Don't believe all the hype.

Throwing alpha-geezer aggro and angst over a classical chasis, Lexi Alexander's flick mixes vicious flashes of authenticity with dopey cliché but scores a heartfelt, ragged wallop that rattles through your skull.

Hobbit-gone-hardcore Elijah Wood holds his own as the milquetoast Harvard student stumbling into West Ham's hooligan firm, but it's the thrilling teeth-on-tarmac street brawls that give Green Street a red-raw adreno-spike, lensed with breathless energy by Alexander. Designer violence? Hardly. Doped up on the taste of beer, blood and burnt nerves, our hooligans (all loving dads, wounded lads and numbed wage-slaves) rage against emasculating social anaemia. Closing as a (literally) striking cautionary tale, Alexander's movie dares to amp-up the primal fizz before dousing it with devastating fall-out.

Sadly, she has less to say on the DVD, which packs a mere four token featurettes.

its a good football film one for the lads an girls not the ones who dont lyk footy tho great film will enjoy

i think this film was Brilliant! best one i've seen in a long time. would highly reccomend to anyone who wants to know about football violence.

Set in the world of football hooliganism, Lexi Alexander's film casts Elijah Wood as a former journalism student who joins West Ham's 'firm' and runs riot with his newfound mates in London's East End
Hot on the Reebok-clad heels of Nick Love's The Football Factory comes Lexi Alexander's marginally better Green Street, another attempt to delve into the world of British football hooliganism. Based upon West Ham FC's own unofficial gang of ruffians - or 'firm' - known as the Green Street Elite (GSE), the film tells of how disgraced Harvard student Matt Buckner (Wood) gets sucked into a world of violence.

Arriving in England, Matt is introduced to the gang by his brother-in-law's younger sibling, Pete (Hunnam), now the self-styled leader of the GSE. While Matt's sister Shannon (Forlani) is appalled that her brother has become a member of his own personal Fight Club, her husband Steve (Warren) suffers divided loyalties between his wife and his tearaway brother.

As the film progresses, the once-great GSE - on the decline since the departure of their mysterious leader The Major - experience a renaissance after the weedy Matt joins and discovers he has a taste for blood. Expelled from Harvard for drug dealing - in fact, he took the rap for his rich roommate - Matt has a lot of pent-up anger, which he foists onto unsuspecting louts. Meanwhile, West Ham draw Millwall in the FA Cup, meaning a head-on collision between two of the league's hardest firms. Led by the gruesome Tommy Hatcher (Bell), scarred by the loss of his own son during a clash years before, the Millwall boys are out for revenge - not helped by the defection of greasy GSE member Bovver (Gregory). Just in case you don't quite get the main theme, Pete handily sums it up: "We stuck by our mates and stood our ground. That's what it's all about."

Overall, a really good and exciting film.!
Really Gives You A Thrill..!

DONT MISS OUT!!

Bought for boyfriend as present as he has lost his. He loves the film finds it to be better than football factory. Great storyline and acting well worth the watch.

Green street for me is a very good film, and although the RRP as plumited, this can not put you off the prospect of this, which is a great film.

I saw this at the cinemas and i have got it on DVD at the same time, it's one of those that you can watch over and over again and never get bored. The story line is real life in a lot of cases, and its great to see how the emphasis is broadcast onto the screen. A very good cast that adapt to the roles there allocated so very well, a top notch file.

this film is amazing full of action and more action and has a great story to it!
ACE FILM!!!!!!!!!!!!11

My daughter and her friends wanted it so I purchased it from Ebay and
then my partner and I watched it and it opened my eyes to the footballing
world and never knew that 'The Firm' existed in every football team across
the country where people are so loyal to each other to the extreme.

the Best film ive ever seen whoever dislikes this film is mad and unrealistic this film is the real deal based on real life and the ups and downs it may cause great film and loved evry minute of the story line!!!

Now, I don't like football, but I loved this film. It really opens your eyes to what can happen when 2 football teams supporters meet.
I loved the effects, it doesn't look like fake fighting, it looks totally real and you can see blood spraying everywhere.
If you like football and you like a bit of blood and guts then you'll like this film.

there isn't a film better than this, it has a start, middle and end.
great actors on the top of their game

a good film for football fans. not for kids though - a lot of violence and swearing. great story and better than the second one.

Amazing dvd. brand new still sealed. delivered really fast in very good condition. would defently recormend

A very enjoyable film with very likable characters it is well written and is very belivable and interesting. I enjoyed the action it kept you watching. I am not a football fan but with this film you didn't need to be.

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