A gripping if rather implausible story about a group of gay-bashing youths, this sustains interest until the ridiculous ending, when the director gathers up all the plot threads and, instead of weaving them together, ties them into a hopeless snarl. Not only does the last-minute plot revelation make no sense, it "explains" the characters in a very facile, film-school manner, when what makes the film frightening is the fact that we really CAN'T tell what motivates the young characters, and neither can they. They succumb to their worst violent/sexual urges without a second thought, because stopping to think would make their lives completely unbearable. This ending forces "meaning" on us in the way that second-rate well-made plays in the nineteenth century used to.I'm growing very tired of gay movies that feature their young heroes being raped and/or killed by straight oppressors (who rape them to prove they themselves aren't gay?) It's a cheap way for an artistically impoverished movie to be considered "daring" and "honest", when it really reveals very little. I've always been suspicious of the argument that gay-bashers are all closeted homosexuals striking out at what they fear in themselves (this view also weakened the ending of the otherwise excellent "Milk.")

There are many great reviews for this film and I curious as to whether the low scoring ones aren't born of some vindictive bent. There is much to commend this film's fresh take and realisation of a difficult and under discussed issue of youth culture versus gay coming out. Fast paced, slick editing, booming soundtrack makes this a page turner of a film - excuse the mixed metaphor! The youthful inexperienced casting clearly adds some authenticity to this narrative but their intuited performances don't detract. I was given the DVD as a gift and it has been well played. The DVD extras in particular the making of reveal an earnest sincere desire from all involved to tackle homophobia in a uncompromising way - and it does. It's a brave and honestly executed British film....well done all involved.

This was so boring and predictable I couldn't get through it. Nor, dare I say it, was it very responsible(is the idea of film-makers being responsible so very shocking? probably yes.)90 minutes of young muscle-boys who beat people up to a groovy hip hop backing track is hardly going to dissuade impressionable youngsters. One is reminded of the Heroin Screws You Up campaign of the early 80s which actually managed to increase drug consumption by presenting dope-takers in all too glamorous a light. And why bother with such a predictable storyline anyway? All the the makers this sort of pova-porn are interested in really is that age-old middle-class luvvie fantasy of working class boys shagging each other. Why not come clean and make a porno? And I'm not impressed either that the director is 'just21'. For a child to be capable of making this cack is the most depressing thing about it.One of the leads appeared to be some sort of art history lecturer- in that repsect at least,the scriptwriters clearly know what they're talking about. It's so dreadfully authentic darling!

Watch the opening even if it is hard to do. It will take a while before everything starts to fall into place. UK street punk with the life he is use to is trying to find his real self. There are many subplots to this film which are not understood or known until late in the film. I think this is a great film and believe it will remain one of my favorites.The plot I will not go into for to do so would totally ruin watching the movie. Hang in there and you will see a film which will make you think a lot.Since I am an American, it took a little getting use to the UK setting with cars driving on the left, yet it would be easy to have made this movie in the US. Give it a try.