GREEN STREET/ HOOLIGANS/ GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS
US, 2005, 109 minutes, Colour.
Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Geoff Bell, Leo Gregory, Henry Goodman, Rafe Spall.
Directed by Lexi Alexander.
No, definitely not an environmental documentary. The working title was ‘Hooligans’ and that would communicate instantly the topic and tone of the film. While Green Street sounds rather nice, it actually refers to a very British phenomenon, the gangs, called ‘firms’, who are fanatical followers of football (soccer) teams. The Green Street firm are London’s West Ham fanatics. The enemy is the Milwall firm.
This is the second football hooligan film in a year. In fact, Milwall was the centre of attention in 2004’s The Football Factory. These two films are complementary (definitely not complimentary). Green Street is written by a German woman, the director
Green Street intends to draw in non-British audiences by casting Elijah Wood (it is a bit like Frodo goes to the football and is corrupted). He is a journalism student at Harvard, son of a big-time, busy and neglectful editor, who is framed as a drug-dealer. He goes off to see his sister (Claire Danes) who has married an Englishman (Marc Warren). His brother (Charlie Hunnam) is the leader of the Green Street firm. The rather diminutive American is flattered at the attention he receives (despite a lot of mocking Americans), is surprised at the adrenalin rush he gets in participating in the danger and the violence. He is hooked.
Meantime, there is a bad history between West Ham and Milwall. The ageing leader of that firm saw his young son killed in one of the set-to’s and harbours hatred and revenge. As you would guess, he gets his chance with some disastrous consequences. These melees are all the more frightening because of the truly menacing and brutal presence of Geoff Bell (who appeared to the same effect in The Business) as the Milwall leader.
Like The Football Factory, this is a grim and unflattering look at a worldwide phenomenon. But it is a British phenomenon with causes international ruckuses, many fights, injuries and some deaths, leads to passport withdrawals and serious policing. Whether Green Street explains hooligans or not, it does give an alarming picture. (For fans who want to keep football on a pedestal, it would be much, much better to see the optimistic Goal!).
1. A very British film? British life? Football? Urban story? Gangs/firms?
2. American interest, the language of soccer? Casting of it Elijah Wood? the American scenes framing the film?
3. Matt, at Harvard, packing and being ousted, his not defending himself, his roommate and drugs, his roommate’s family and influence? The discussions with his father and his father’s office? offer to help? The end, the encounter with the roommate, his using drugs in the toilet, the discussion, Matt taping him?
4. Matt going to London, Shannon, his sister, meeting Steve, their baby? His not telling their father? His father, the answering machine, contact at Kabul? The New York Times?
5. The prologue, Pete and his firm at the station, the rivals on the other platform, mutual defiance, footballers’ cause, the racist threats, heading for violence? Setting up the scenario for the fights?
6. Pete, Steve as his brother, the visits, the talk, going to the match, anti-US, Steve wanting Matt to go, giving him money, not to be given to Pete? Pete asking for the money?
7. Matt, jetlag, yet fascinated, the firms and the members? The group, the policeman – the network? Steve as brother and his devotion to Pete? Matt learning, listening, keeping his diary, watching the matches, the involvement of the crowd, support, the clashes leading to violence?
8. Matt becoming part of the firm, the bond with Pete, watching him teach with the kids, another view of Pete? The other members of the gang? Shannon and her warnings? Steve and his past?
9. Everybody watching the draw, West Ham United versus Millwall?
10. The away game, going to the train, Matt warned not to go, his coming, getting out of the train, the truck, pretending that this was a movie truck, getting through the crowd at the station, the later buildup to the fight?
11. Bovver, going to Millwall, Hatcher and his son and his death, his wanting vengeance? Hatcher in the cafe, talking to Bovver, the Pakistani girl and her laughing, Hatcher’s brutal violence and assumption of authority?
12. Matt and his father, their discussions, Matt the father-son relationship, the father absent, the father wanting to do something, offering a contact at the Times? Their being seen, the assumptions that Matt was an undercover journalist?
13. Bovver, giving Hatcher the information, the setup? His later reactions, suffering the violence, Pete asking him to make up by getting the others away?
14. Steve, hearing about the rumble, his going to the pub, trying to warn Matt, the revelation about his past, the challenge, his having to go?
15. The build-up to the fight, Shannon coming in the car, the brutality of the fight, Steve and his being attacked, wounded, going to hospital? Pete, Matt helping, the fight, Hatcher and his brutality at Pete’s death?
16. Shannon at the hospital, her supporting him?
17. The experience from that, going home, his work as a journalist?
18. The build-up to sympathy for some of the firm members, the vividness of the fighting, the film supporting the firms and their outlooks or critical? Or both?
