I'm a big football fan having been going since the late 80's. In fact I'm that old I can remember when I stood up to watch the match and you had to piss where you stood most of the time. The problem with football themed movies is that they are almost always utterly tedious piles of turgid rubbish with exception of Das Wunder Von Bern and this movie, starring the modern day Gielgud, our very own Vinnie Jones.
Jones plays Danny Meehan, a disgraced footballer sent to prison. After coming into contact with violent screws, bent governors and the different cons Meehan begins to find his feet. The governor has other ideas for the new star in his midst and wants him to coach the screws team. the screws don't want this and warn Meehan that his life will be made a misery if he takes up the option. So Meehan offers the governor a Cons v Screws match as a way of working up fitness levels. The rest of the movie follows the build up to the big match and the game itself.
Prison movies are really hard to get right. You don't want them to become too realistic or they'd be dull. You don't want to ham it up too much or you'll lose credibility. This movie strikes just the right balance, with comedic touches and menace oozeing from some cons and screws. i can also state with no small amount of authority that it's depiction of British prison life is spot on.The ending is massivley uplifiting and it says something when this is the only movie that Danny Dyer is watchable in. Some of the characters are from the Big Book of Prison Stereotypes but that's a minor quibble to what is a fun film.
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