The Riot Club

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The Riot Club
The Riot Club UK poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Written by Laura Wade
Based on Posh
by Laura Wade
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySebastian Blenkov
Edited by Jake Roberts
Music byKasper Winding
Production
companies
Distributed by Universal Pictures International
Release dates
  • 6 September 2014 (2014-09-06)(TIFF)
  • 19 September 2014 (2014-09-19)(United Kingdom)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3.5 million [1]

The Riot Club is a 2014 British thriller drama film directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Laura Wade, based on Wade's 2010 play Posh . [2] The film stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth. [3] It is set among the Riot Club, a fictional all-male, exclusive dining club at the University of Oxford. When the play Posh premiered, the Riot Club was often described as a thinly veiled version of the real-life Bullingdon Club, although according to Wade it is entirely fictitious. [4]

Contents

Plot

Alistair and Miles, both with aristocratic connections, start their first year at Oxford University. Miles is friendly and level-headed, cordially offering to switch rooms when Alistair's assigned room does not meet with his parents' approval, and beginning a relationship with Lauren, who has a working-class, Northern background. Alistair is an insecure, arrogant and cold-hearted snob. The two are tutorial partners at Oxford, where Alistair is blatant in his contempt for Miles and his left-leaning politics.

The Riot Club, a long-established exclusive drinking club priding itself on hedonism and the belief that money can buy anything, is on the hunt for new members to maintain its roster of ten men, all of whom must be educated at private schools. Alistair is invited by Harry, whom he has met during the start of their term. Miles, who was out drinking in the pub, is invited by Hugo, another Riot Club member. Alistair finds a new friend in Harry, who introduces him to his Uncle Jeremy (Tom Hollander), a senior MP—which Alistair himself aspires to be one day. After undergoing an unpleasant initiation, both Miles and Alistair become members of the Riot Club.

Having been barred from most establishments in Oxford, the club have their annual dinner at the function room in a country pub. Alistair and Miles are both surprised to see each other there, Alistair showing open disdain. The Club begin their dinner, and though the landlord is initially excited to have a wealthy, aristocratic party dining at his establishment, their raucous behaviour annoys the pub's other patrons, some of whom leave. Chris, the landlord, is put off by their behaviour and tells them that they are disrupting his business; the boys settle with an arrangement with them paying for his losses to let them continue to stay, which he reluctantly accepts. After the escort Harry hired refuses to perform group oral sex, Alistair takes Miles's phone and texts Lauren without Miles knowing. Lauren then shows up to the pub to the surprise of Miles, whom the boys promptly proposition to do what the escort would not. They insulted her, Lauren then attempts to leave the pub, but is assaulted by one of the members. Miles struggles to rescue her as the other members hold him back. Hugo intervenes and orders the boys to let her leave, which she does.

Miles, drunk and seemingly depressed after what happened to Lauren, stays quiet for the rest of the night, while Alistair works up the rest with his political ideals of the rich and the poor. Becoming progressively more drunk and ingesting drugs, they start to wreck the room. When Chris comes to confront them, Alistair insults Chris by giving him money which he does not accept, telling them they are no better than a bunch of kids breaking shop windows and that they are just spoiled brats. Alistair punches him followed by the others who viciously attack him until he becomes unconscious. While the members become frantic realizing what they just have done, Miles calls for an ambulance.

The boys are all arrested but believing that the club is more important than the individual, they agree not to give statements. The club meet after the incident and agree that Miles, as the newest club member, should take the blame for the attack on Chris. Miles tries to apologise to Lauren, who tells him to never talk to her again. Later, Chris's skin is then found underneath Alistair's fingernails, meaning they can arrest and charge him. Alistair is sent down (expelled) from Oxford, being the only one arrested for the incident, whilst the others are allowed to continue their studies without any criminal charges. After a talk with the dean, Miles is approached by the new president of the Riot Club, Guy Bellingfield, to re-join next year, but after nearly having to leave university because of the scandal, he decides to leave the club, a decision which the new president mocks.

Alistair is invited to a meeting with Jeremy in London, who asks for the Riot Club to be kept out of future court appearances, and assures Alistair that in spite of being kicked out of Oxford, the boy is still a Riot member. Though Alistair is at first aggressively dismissive of Jeremy's proposed assistance, Alistair is brought around when Jeremy offers the boy a position in his office and an assured future. The film concludes with Alistair leaving the meeting with Jeremy, a smug smile on his face as he walks down the street.

Cast

Production

The film is set in locations in and around Oxford University (and at a village pub). ALI 0264.jpg
The film is set in locations in and around Oxford University (and at a village pub).

On 5 February 2013 it was reported that HanWay and Blueprint Pictures would produce the adaptation of the play Posh written by Laura Wade. The producers would be Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin, with the BFI Film Fund and Film4 Productions. [2] On 15 March 2013 Robert Pattinson, Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth were understood to be under consideration to play the lead. [11] On 18 March Max Irons was confirmed as the lead. [6] On 19 May 2013 Sam Claflin also joined the cast, as well as Douglas Booth. [5] On 20 May 2013 Universal Pictures International acquired the UK and Irish rights to the film. [12] On 11 July 2013, Natalie Dormer also joined the cast. [9]

Filming

The shooting of the film began on 30 June 2013 in Oxford, England. [13] The crew were spotted during the filming of scenes at Magpie Lane. [3] Filming also took place at Pinewood Studios and Winchester College.

Marketing

The first trailer for the film was released on 30 July 2014. [14]

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References

  1. "The Riot Club (2015) – Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 Wiseman, Andreas (5 February 2013). "HanWay gets Posh for Blueprint and Lone Scherfig". Screen Daily . Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Max Irons shooting new film Posh in Oxford". Radio Times . 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  4. Masters, Tim (19 September 2014). "How real is The Riot Club?". BBC News . Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Kemp, Stuart (19 May 2013). "'Catching Fire' Star Sam Claflin Joins Lone Sherfig's 'Posh'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  6. 1 2 Schillaci, Sophie (17 March 2013). "'The Host's' Max Irons Headed to 'Posh'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  7. Wade, Laura. Posh: Script and screenplay (2010). "James Leighton-Masters character card".
  8. 1 2 Hayes, Martha (11 September 2014). "Meet The Boys In The Riot Club: Your Complete Who's Who Guide". Marie Claire . United Kingdom.
  9. 1 2 "Natalie Dormer Cast In 'Posh'". Deadline Hollywood . 11 July 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  10. Wade, Laura. Posh: Script and screenplay (2010). "George Balfour character card".
  11. Lyttelton, Oliver (15 March 2013). "Robert Pattinson, Sam Claflin, Max Irons & Douglas Booth Circling Lone Scherfig's Adaptation Of Stage Hit 'Posh'". IndieWire . Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  12. Wiseman, Andreas (20 May 2013). "Universal takes UK, Irish rights to Lone Scherfig's Posh". Screen Daily. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  13. Krol, Charlotte (1 July 2013). "Max comes home to shoot new movie". Oxford Mail . Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  14. Kang, Inkoo (30 July 2014). "Trailer Watch: Peek Inside the Hallowed Halls of Lone Scherfig's The Riot Club". Women and Hollywood. Retrieved 1 May 2021.