Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Updates:

Clubbed (2009)

Director: Neil Thompson

Time Out rating

Average user rating

19 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

It’s the 1980s, and Danny (Mel Raido) is the gormless poet warrior-turned-headbutt-happy club doorman who narrates this tawdry tale of how he got tough in an unnamed northern hinterland. One minute he’s getting his head stomped on by cockney boot-boys while his kids watch in dismay, then, via a swift montage of him leafing through Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ and practising his haymaker in the mirror, he’s graduated to the Zen power-trip world of the regional bouncer and started duffing up all and sundry.

It’s a comically inept and unfocused piece of filmmaking, with ‘This Is England’-lite period detail attained by what looks like a bring-your-own-costume policy (plastic replica pork-pie hats anyone?), numerous side characters who have no relation to the plot whatsoever (including Neil Morrissey in a boilersuit and cravat) and an overwritten, ‘artsy’ voiceover (à la Guy Ritchie) that sounds like it was recorded in one take. Shaun Parkes’s charismatic turn as virtuous fellow bouncer Rob is the film’s sole redeeming feature.

Author: David Jenkins 2009-01-13 11:33:25

Time Out London Issue 2004, 15-21 Jan, 2009

Bookmark

User reviews of this film

Andy said...

Posted on Sep 24 2009 17:03 This film is fantastic, see it at all costs, miss it at your peril.

Report as inappropriate
Davey B said...

Posted on May 02 2009 17:10 This film is a class act. I saw it in the cinema and have just ordered the DVD (go to amazon, it's only £6.99 there).
Don't miss it, it's set to be a classic!

Report as inappropriate
terry said...

Posted on May 02 2009 16:27 just watched this film and thought it was great really enjoyed it 10 out of 10 anyone who watches it should think the same or they have no idea of what a good film is top banana

Report as inappropriate
Andrew said...

Posted on Apr 29 2009 04:08 A stonker of a film. You must see it, pure entertainment from start to finish. Pay no attention to what the critics write.

Report as inappropriate
Adrian said...

Posted on Mar 20 2009 14:59 I watched the film and loved it, It's strange that when the luvvie critics slate a film Joe Bloggs on the street tend to love it? I loved it from start to finnsh.

Report as inappropriate
Ross Brown said...

Posted on Mar 20 2009 02:04 Very enjoyable film!! This critic doesnt have a clue what he's talking about and I feel that I am a tough one to please. Go and see it for yourself!

Report as inappropriate
Stevie G said...

Posted on Mar 01 2009 21:34 Great film! Was gripped from start to finish. Great performances, a stunning soundtrack and visually pleasing.
I would urge people to disregard the featured review (if you can even call it that), as this 'critic' clearly has a very strange perception of what is good and bad, in film. Who employed this person to review movies? Shocking.

Report as inappropriate
Warner said...

Posted on Jan 29 2009 14:32 A Great film, Great soundtrack, Great story, and some Great messages in there to.... The last reviewer has got it wrong, a handfull !!, Mr T.. has written 35 books so far, and i would hope many more, have a look at some of his new stuff, the guy is prolific....FULL MARKS from me.

Report as inappropriate
geoff t said...

Posted on Jan 29 2009 12:27 this movie is loosely based on the life of Coventry door man turned martial artist Geoff Thompson, who is a local celebrity and has written a handful of books. where in the review does it say that>?
crap film though.

Report as inappropriate
elliott said...

Posted on Jan 23 2009 04:07 top film, 10/10

Report as inappropriate
Eddie said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 21:58 This film is a classic low budget Brit flick that the snooty luvvies can't stomach.
The reviewer can't possibly have been a night club which celebs wouldn't dream of going to,but the likes of young people up & down the country is a release from the week of humdrum lives.

Report as inappropriate
Jessica said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 13:32 My boyfriend dragged me along to see this film which to be honest I wasn't really that bothered about seeing. I was surprised at how good it was. Really enjoyed it from beginning to end. I would definitely recommend it!

Report as inappropriate
Tom said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 13:28 I thought this film was brilliant. Full of action and much funnier than I expected it to be. There are some real laugh out loud scenes. Thought Colin Salmon was brilliant in it. It's definitely worth a watch.

Report as inappropriate
Phil Solman said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 04:39 This film really seems to polarize. I loved it and thought it captured the era brilliantly, but then I was in Midlands' nightclubs in the 80's. Like other reviewers here, I don't really get what David Jenkins saw (or thought he saw). Maybe this film is old-school, but I loved it and am happy to recommend it to my friends.

Report as inappropriate
Albert said...

Posted on Jan 17 2009 17:17 This is a funny one - I agree with both ends of the critical spectre on this. It was a good old trip down memory lane, but the writing was pretty poor, and the directing awful. I suspect it was maybe the sound track and my eagerness to relive the 80's that made up for the film's shortcomings.

Report as inappropriate