The Firm (2009 film)

Last updated

The Firm
The Firm 2009 film.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Nick Love
Screenplay by Nick Love (adaptation)
Based on The Firm screenplay
by Al Hunter Ashton
Produced byRhys Dow
StarringCalum McNab
Paul Anderson
Daniel Mays
Doug Allen
Camille Coduri
CinematographyMatt Gray BSC
Edited byStuart Gazzard
Music by Laura Rossi
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • 18 September 2009 (2009-09-18)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office£686,502

The Firm is a 2009 British drama film based around football hooliganism written and directed by Nick Love. It is a remake of the original 1989 version.

Contents

Adaptation

Loosely adapted from Alan Clarke's 1989 classic TV film for Screen Two , Nick Love's film is set earlier in the 1980s; around 1984. It retells a similar story to the original, but it is told from a different character's point of view. The protagonist of this adaptation is Dom, who was a minor character in the original. Dom is a young wannabe football casual who gets drawn into the charismatic but dangerous world of the firm's top boy, Bex Bissell. A 'firm' being the name used by groups of smartly dressed hooligans, under the pretense of being supporters of a particular team, who arrange organised violence on match days with rival 'firms'.

Plot

Bex is the leader of the West Ham United football firm, that travels up and down the country to fight other firms. Dom is a normal young lad who hangs around with his mates, and one night they go to a nightclub, where his friend Tel walks into Bex. After the two share words, Bex headbutts Tel in the face and offers out his friends afterwards. The morning after, Tel tells Dom that Bex is after them and that they have been named to Bex. The two then go to the local pub, the Lord Nelson, where the firm hangs out. There, Dom apologises for the two of them. Bex compliments Dom's courage, saying that he has a lot of guts to walk in and face him. Dom later finds out where Bex works and goes to visit him. They become acquaintances, visiting a sports shop where Bex purchases a pair of Adidas Munchen trainers. He then asks Dom if he wants to play in his football team. Dom accepts. Dom asks his Dad for money to buy the same pair of trainers.

Dom arrives late at the football game and is put in goal. After he saves a vital penalty, the rest of the boys begin to take a liking to him, especially Jay, who asks if he is coming to Portsmouth at the weekend. Dom agrees. Trigger, the firm's second-in-command, visits Bex at work, where he tells him that Millwall's firm and Portsmouth's firm are meeting to discuss the up-and-coming matches between the three teams. Bex walks in on the meeting to pitch his idea of the three firms coming together to form a national firm for the UEFA European Football Championship. The pitch fails, with Millwall and Portsmouth's top boys refusing to stand behind Bex in the national firm unless he and his firm can beat theirs in the upcoming meets. Saturday comes and the firm are at the station getting a train to Portsmouth. When they get there they meet the Portsmouth firm at the pub. Police arrive and try to break up the two teams. During the brawl, Dom is punched in the face but stays on his feet and punches back.

Bex visits Dom at work and tells him to not make any plans for the weekend. Dom sees Tel who criticises his tracksuit, but Dom tells him that he is part of the West Ham firm now. Dom later meets Jay, and the two go to the sports shop and steal a load of gear. Some of the firm go to Bex's house to talk about the possible national firm. Bex asks Dom if he would like to go to Europe, and Dom agrees. Bex says he has to get blooded first, which means he has to get the firm's symbol engraved on his forearm. Bex pulls out a Stanley knife and starts to engrave on Dom's arm. When the rest of the firm lick their hands and rub off the symbol that is on their arms he realises that it is a joke.

Dom goes to the Lord Nelson to meet up with the boys. Soon after arriving, he is harshly ridiculed in front of everyone by a drunken Trigger for wearing the same tracksuit as Bex. Feeling forlorn, Dom leaves the pub and doesn't go to the game. Bex then visits him at work the next day and tells him to stand up for himself, and invites him to a night club. Dom also gets invited to Crystal Palace on the weekend, but the firm end up going to Millwall to launch a surprise attack on the Millwall firm instead. Millwall fights back with weapons and largely outnumbers them. As a result, the surprise attack fails and they suffer a humiliating defeat. Bex, along with Dom and some other members of the West Ham firm, go back later and ambush a Millwall fan as he leaves the pub, beating him half to death with lead pipes. They return home only to find that their cars have been smashed up. A calling card has been placed on Bex's car saying "Congratulations, you have just met the Yeti" (the Yeti is a nickname for the Millwall firm leader).

Some of the firm express that they are not happy with Bex's reckless leadership in refusing to back down over the feud with the Yeti, and are ultimately forced by Bex to leave the firm. When Bex brings a bag full of blunt weapons to the Lord Nelson in preparation for a revenge attack on the Yeti and his firm, Dom expresses his concerns as well. Bex reacts angrily, bullying and threatening Dom and telling him that he has no choice but to stay with the firm. They go from the Lord Nelson to London Bridge station and ambush the rival firm. Dom looks on as Bex overpowers the Yeti and kicks him savagely in the head and body repeatedly as he lies on the floor. As Bex walks away, the Yeti pulls a flick knife out of his sock and stabs Bex in the stomach. Off-screen, Bex eventually succumbs to the wound.

That night, the police are seen arriving at Bex's house. His wife answers the door angrily with the baby in her arms. From the police's silence, she knows Bex has been killed and tearfully goes into denial.

In the epilogue, Dom puts on the red tracksuit that Bex told him to never wear again, and heads to the Lord Nelson one last time. He looks through the window and sees that the firm are enjoying themselves and do not appear to be mourning Bex, with Trigger now seemingly in charge. Dom sees this as his chance to get out for good. He walks away from the pub and bumps into Tel. They both walk off exchanging jokes and following their old routine before Dom joined the firm.

Cast

Reception

The Firm holds a 68% approval rating at review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes based on the opinions of 25 critics. [1]

Police photograph error

On 31 October 2009, it was revealed that stills from the movie were released by Scotland Yard in relation to the 2009 Upton Park riots. [2] Police later released the following statement:

"These images appear to have been taken from a motion picture. We wish to apologise unreservedly to those affected. We are going to be actively trying to contact those people to offer our apologies."

Scotland Yard statement. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millwall F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

Millwall Football Club is a professional football club in Bermondsey, South East London, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the Millwall area of the Isle of Dogs in 1910. From then until 1993, the club played at what is now called The Old Den in New Cross, before moving to its current home stadium nearby, called The Den. The traditional club crest is a rampant lion, referred to in the team's nickname The Lions. Millwall's traditional kit consists of dark blue shirts, white shorts, and blue socks.

<i>The Football Factory</i> (film) 2004 British sports drama film by Nick Love

The Football Factory is a 2004 British sports drama film written by AJ Lovell and directed by Nick Love and starring Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Frank Harper, Roland Manookian, Neil Maskell and Dudley Sutton. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name by John King and the first foray into filmmaking by video game producers Rockstar Games, credited as executive producers. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 14 May 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea Headhunters</span> Football firm linked with Chelsea F.C.

The Chelsea Headhunters are a notorious English football hooligan firm linked to the London football club Chelsea.

<i>Green Street</i> (film) 2005 British-American crime drama film

Green Street is a 2005 crime drama film about football hooliganism in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Lexi Alexander and stars Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inter City Firm</span> West Ham United FC fanbase from late 1970s to early 1990s

The Inter City Firm (ICF) is an English football hooligan firm associated with West Ham United, which was mainly active in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. The name came from the use of InterCity trains to travel to away games. They were the subject of a 1985 Thames Television documentary, Hooligan.

<i>The Firm</i> (1989 film) 1989 British television drama film directed by Alan Clarke

The Firm is a 1989 British made-for-television drama film directed by Alan Clarke and written by Al Hunter Ashton for the BBC. It stars Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Phil Davis, Charles Lawson and Steve McFadden in his acting debut. The film is based on the activities of the Inter City Firm football firm of West Ham United during the 1970s and 1980s.

<i>I.D.</i> (1995 film) 1995 British film

I.D. is a 1995 film made by BBC Films about football hooliganism, directed by Philip Davis, written by Vincent O'Connell, and starring Reece Dinsdale, Sean Pertwee and Warren Clarke. It is set in 1988 in the London area of Shadwell, England and is a story about a group of Metropolitan Police officers who are sent undercover to infiltrate a gang of dangerous football hooligans.

The Zulu Warriors are a football hooligan firm associated with English football club, Birmingham City. The Zulu Warriors were formed in the late 1980s and the name allegedly came from a chant of "Zulu, Zulu" which Manchester City fans aimed at Birmingham in 1982, due to their multicultural following. However, both the "Zulu" chant and the term "Zulu Warriors", in the context of a fan following rather than as an organised gang, were in use from at least the mid 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Muckers</span> English football hooligan firm

The Muckers are a football hooligan firm linked to the football club Blackpool F.C. They take their name from the word mucker, a colloquialism meaning good friend.

The Millwall Bushwackers are a football firm associated with Millwall Football Club. Millwall have a historic association with football hooliganism, which came to prevalence in the 1970s and 1980s, with a firm known originally as F-Troop, eventually becoming more widely known as the Millwall Bushwackers, who were one of the most notorious hooligan gangs in England. On five occasions The Den was closed by the Football Association and the club has received numerous fines for crowd disorder. Millwall's hooligans are regarded by their rivals as amongst the stiffest competition, with Manchester United hooligan Colin Blaney describing them as being amongst the top four firms in his autobiography 'Undesirables', and West Ham hooligan Cass Pennant featuring them on his Top Boys TV YouTube channel, on which their fearsome reputation for violence was described.

The MIGs are a football hooligan "firm" associated with the English football club Luton Town, which was originally formed in the 1980s.

The Real Football Factories is a documentary series shown on the Bravo television channel in the United Kingdom and created by Zig Zag Productions. The show looks at the in-depth life of football hooligans and hooligan firms. Interviews are conducted with past and present hooligans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millwall F.C.–West Ham United F.C. rivalry</span> Rivalry between two London football teams

The rivalry between Millwall and West Ham United is one of the longest-standing and most bitter in English football. The two teams, then known as Millwall Athletic and Thames Ironworks, both originated in the East End of London, and were located less than three miles apart. They first played each other in the 1899–1900 FA Cup. The match was historically known as the Dockers derby, as both sets of supporters were predominantly dockers at shipyards on the River Thames. Consequently, each set of fans worked for rival firms who were competing for the same business; this intensified the tension between the teams. In 1904, West Ham moved to the Boleyn Ground which was then part of Essex until a London boundary change in 1965. In 1910, Millwall moved across the River Thames to New Cross in South East London and the teams were no longer East London neighbours. Both sides have relocated since, but remain just under four miles apart. Millwall moved to The Den in Bermondsey in 1993 and West Ham to the London Stadium in Stratford in 2016.

<i>Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground</i> 2009 British film

Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground is a 2009 drama film directed by Jesse V. Johnson. It is a sequel to the 2005 film Green Street. Green Street 3: Never Back Down followed in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Luton riot</span> 1985 football riot in England

The 1985 Luton riot occurred before, during and after a 1984–85 FA Cup sixth-round football match between Luton Town and Millwall on 13 March 1985 at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It was one of the worst incidents of football hooliganism during the 1980s, and led to a ban on away supporters by Luton Town which lasted for four seasons. This itself led to Luton's expulsion from the Football League Cup during the 1986–87 season. The club also began to enforce a membership card scheme, which Margaret Thatcher's government attempted to have adopted at grounds across England. Kenilworth Road was damaged, along with the surrounding area, and a year later was converted to an all-seater stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Upton Park riot</span> Football riot in London, England

The 2009 Upton Park riot occurred in and around West Ham United's Boleyn Ground, in Upton Park before, during and after a Football League Cup second round match between West Ham and Millwall on 25 August 2009. The match was won by the home side 3–1 after extra time, but the game was marred by pitch invasions and disorder in the streets outside the ground, where a Millwall supporter was stabbed. The disturbances were met with condemnation by the Football Association, the British government and the two clubs involved. The incident led to fears of a return of the hooliganism that had tarnished the reputation of English football in the 1970s and 80s. There were also concerns that it could have a negative effect on England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup - which was rejected in favour of the bid from Russia more than a year later.

The Arsenal firms are groups of football hooligans who are fans of the Arsenal Football Club. There are two Arsenal firms, The Gooners and The Herd. The Gooners were a violent football hooligan firm mainly active in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the name is now used by most non-hooligan Arsenal supporters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football hooliganism in the United Kingdom</span> Hooliganism associated with football in the United Kingdom

Beginning in at least the 1960s, the United Kingdom gained a reputation worldwide for football hooliganism; the phenomenon was often dubbed the British or English Disease. However, since the 1980s and well into the 1990s the UK government has led a widescale crackdown on football related violence. While football hooliganism has been a growing concern in some continental European countries in recent years, British football fans now tend to have a better reputation abroad. Although reports of British football hooliganism still surface, the instances now tend to occur at pre-arranged locations rather than at the matches themselves.

<i>Green Street 3: Never Back Down</i> 2013 British film

Green Street 3: Never Back Down is a 2013 British crime film directed by James Nunn and a sequel to the 2009 film Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground directed by Jesse V. Johnson.

ID2: Shadwell Army is a 2016 British football hooligan film made by Universal Pictures, directed by Joel Novoa, written by Vincent O'Connell and starring Simon Rivers, Linus Roache and Paul Popplewell. It is the sequel to the 1995 film I.D. and like its predecessor it is set in the Shadwell area of London and follows a Muslim police officer who is sent undercover to infiltrate the hooligan gang connected to Shadwell Town Football club.

References

  1. The Firm (2009). Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. Rowley, Emma (31 October 2009). "Cast of Hooligan Film Among 'Wanted' Fans". Sky News. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  3. "Police 'wanted men' were actors". BBC News. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2009.