The Football Factory (2004)

Synopsis

Study of football hooliganism and male culture in Middle England, based on the novel by John King. The main character, Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer), is a bright but bored 30-year-old with a steady job and close-knit family, who lives for the weekend life of casual sex, lager, drugs - and violence.
See more Study of football hooliganism and male culture in Middle England, based on the novel by John King. The main character, Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer), is a bright but bored 30-year-old with a steady job and close-knit family, who lives for the weekend life of casual sex, lager, drugs - and violence. Through him we meet three other males in his world: Billy Bright (Frank Harper), a right-wing fascist full of bitterness at a country that he perceives as having failed him; Zeberdee (Roland Manookian), a mouthy hooligan whose life revolves around crime and drugs; and Bill Farrell (Dudley Sutton), a 70-year-old war veteran who tries to enjoy every day to the limit. Shot in documentary style using a handheld camera, the film realistically captures the lure and potency of football violence.
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Our review

"Despite the subject, Nick Love's second film is an effective, character-driven study into male bonding, fear of standing out, falling into line and questioning a life-style."

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