The Firm Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
This is the story of rival "Firms" of football (soccer) supporters, and how one man has a wish to team them up for the European Championships of 1988. However, when this is discussed, the opposing leaders are not happy, as they believe this is a challenge to their authority. This Film shows how football violence has progressed from pure violence to a form of organized crime, to the extent that all the leaders know each others home phone / mobile phone numbers.
| Gary Oldman | Bex Bissell |
| Philip Davis | Yeti |
| Andrew Wilde | Oboe |
| Charles Lawson | Trigg |
| William Vanderpuye | Aitch |
| Jay Simpson | Dominic |
| Patrick Murray | Nunk |
| Robbie Gee | Snowy |
| Terry Sue Patt | Yusef |
| Nick Dunning | Simon |
| Nicholas Hewetson | Beef |
| Steve McFadden | Billy |
| Steve Sweeney | J.T |
| Hepburn Graham | Stu |
| Dan Hildebrand | Sully |
7.00 out of 10 (993 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Top Film
posted on 30 Aug 2009Firstly, I'd like to say that the first two reviewers for this film have completely missed the point. I could easily take their reviews apart.This film is as true as can be to portray how the hooligan had evolved from the 70's. The culture had swiftly moved onto the lower-middle classes by the 1980's. No longer did they need to be "Skinheads" or "Working class scum" who used the movement as a means to protest against the state.In order for the hooligans to survive they had to become more intelligent and more cunning to outwit the police. The football shirts were put in one draw and the suits and cotton shirts were pulled out of another - the element of disguise.Gary Oldman is Bex, the hilarious yet psychotic estate agent who has one goal - to be top boy in Europe. Along with his crew, The ICC, Bex puts it to two other rival firms that he wishes to lead them all into Europe...but they're having none of it. They let him know that the only way he will get that position is if his best ten can beat theirs.As well as trying to keep him marriage together Bex battles his way to becoming "top boy"...but does he actually succeed? Alan Clarke's films are always witty, gritty and as realistic as they can get. Its a shame the man made only one more film before being taken from this world (cancer) in 1990.More realistic than "Football Factory" and "I.D", its highly recommended you watch this Made-For-TV classic.
Shorter, sharper and just as shocking
posted on 30 Aug 2009STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits Just last week, when I was reviewing Made in Britain, I commented that I'd like to get a chance to see The Firm, the last of Alan Clarke's really prominent works. I also noted that MIB was 'short, sharp and shocking' but that really ends up applying more to this film. Barely even feature length and not actually featuring that much footie violence (except for one or two, with one I recognized by my familiar Birmingham New Street) it's a film carried by Clarke's usual method of having no soundtrack and letting the film carry itself, as well as a startling lead performance from Gary Oldman as a man who can switch from a normal, calm assured guy one minute to a determined, angry psycho the next.Bex (Oldman) cuts a nice living as an estate agent and on the surface appears to be a decent, respectable, ordinary everyday bloke. But every Saturday, it becomes a different matter. He heads the ICF Football 'Firm', responsible for organized soccer violence. The film charts his gradual deterioration, as he becomes more driven to mount the firm against impossible odds and come out as top dog.Any fans of UK television should keep their eyes peeled throughout, as there's a whole host of familiar 'before-they-were-famous' faces on display, from Only Fools and Horses's Mickey Pearce, to Corrie's Jim McDonald (doing a reasonable cockney accent) and , least prominently, East Enders' Steve McFadden (aka Phil Mitchell) as one of the rival firm's thugs.It's not on quite as grand a scope as later films with similar themes would be (I.D., The Football Factory) but kudos to the TV film that got the concept of soccer violence rolling. ****
Largin it larger than life.
posted on 30 Aug 2009This film is totally class, it's gotta be considered as a farce but not quiet black comedy as Gary Oldman had me in stitches laughing at the character he plays. But in many ways you see these types of people in every day walks of life largin themselves up before there buddies. This is a truly British film about a darker side of British culture. Alan Clark uses satire to get his message home of how ludicrous the hooligan behaviour is. It would be interesting to find out what real hooligans thought and felt about this film. "I do it for the Buzz" says Bex to his wife "I do it for the Buzz" just after his child had been taken to hospital after cutting his mouth with a Stanley knife left lying around in their home. 9/10
Alans worst.
posted on 30 Aug 2009I'm sorry, but this is such a bad movie it's hilarious. Football hooligans arguing in a travel lodge? Suits? Shades?! Alan clearly had no idea what he was talking about when he made this, it is as far from the truth as you can get.The casting was atrocious...Gary Oldman as a football hooligan? He doesn't look scary, act scary or even come across as someone who would like football. And as for Yeti? What the hell? Suits, shades and sitting in a travelodge childishly taunting each other with "its about time you got your nappy on". Please.And the Yeti's gang spraying the ICC's underwear? I don't see how anyone can even take this film seriously!.4/10. Its possibly the most inaccurate portrayal of the crisis of the late eighties hooliganism i have ever seen.
Rubbish - but what a laugh!!!
posted on 30 Aug 2009What a shame that Alan Clarke has to be associated with this tripe. That doesn't rule it out however; get a group of lads and some Stellas together and have a whale of a time running this one again and again and rolling around on the floor in tears of laughter. Great wasted night stuff. Al Hunter homes in on a well publicised theme of the late 80s- that hooligans were well organised and not really interested in the football itself- often with respectable jobs (estate agent???). But how Clarke can convince us that any of the two-bit actors straying from other TV productions of low quality (Grange Hill) or soon to go on to poor quality drama (Eastenders) can for a nanosecond make us believe that they are tough football thugs is laughable. Are we really to believe that the ICF (on whom of course the drama is based) would EVER go to another town to fight with just SIX blokes?The ICF would crowd out tube stations and the like with HUNDREDS. Andy Nicholls' Scally needs to be read before even contemplating a story of this nature. The acting is appalling and provides most of the laughs- Oldman is so camp it is unbelievable. Most of them look as though they should be in a bubble of bath of Mr Matey. A true inspiration to anyone with a digital video camera who thinks they can make a flick- go for it.
" I need the Buzz "
posted on 30 Aug 2009Alan Clarke has cemented his reputation as a gritty realist director through three successful films. These are " Scum ", " Made in Britain " and " The Firm ". These are his most memorable as they were the launch pads for three of Britain's greatest actors. Ray Winestone as Carlin in " Scum ", Tim Roth as Trevor in " Made in Britain " & Gary Oldman as Bex in " The Firm ". All these films have one thing in common. They do not let up for anything or anyone when it comes to Violence, Racism and anti-social beliefs. The Firm centers around the I.C.C (Inner City Crew) firm and their leader and top boy Bex. Bex is a well to do estate agent who has a nice motor, a lovely home and wife and child. Bex's position is firmly established in their first meeting with two other rival firms. Bex has an vision of a united firm to go to the German European Cup and it is he that should lead it. However he must deal with the leaders of the other firms before he can lead an united front abroad. We see the I.C.C travel to rival turf and stake their claim but this is not before a disaster happens. The world of Football thuggery is dealt with carefully by showing us Bex as a man that craves the buzz that he is top boy. He is not content with being the leader of his own firm he wants more and more. It appears he has everything else a good job, car and a loving wife however as his obsession with being the over all top boy that we are introduced to the cracks that are appearing in his marriage due to his violent past time. This film is excellent in it's character portrayal and it does show a very different Gary Oldman character. Bex at the out set comes across as a typical nice bloke who works hard and has a good sense of humor but at the end of the film you are weary that you would never cross him due to his ferocious temper. There is one great scene when Bex's wife confronts him and asks when is he going to give up this lifestyle and he replies " I need the Buzz ". What can I say this really does sum up the whole idea of grown males going around knocking seven shades out of one another. My only complaint is that the film was not longer. My reasons for watching this film is because of the new films that are being made about football violence (The Football Factory, The Yank)I wanted to see a film that was made during the time that football violence was in it's prime in Great Britain and Europe. I was also thrilled that there was no mention of any football teams as it showed exactly what these thugs enjoyed doing and that is slapping people. This point is observed by one of Bex's crew at a meeting. If it is ever on the T.V. watch it, or buy the D.V.D it will not disappoint.
A fascinating document, but pretty much 'of its time'...
posted on 30 Aug 2009... because the culture of 'hooliganism' has moved on since this was made.
It certainly hasn't gone away, but the organisation of such things is tighter these days with the aid of technology like the Internet. Hopefully these developments will be addressed in upcoming fare like "The Football Factory".So the 'values and ideals' shown in this film are different because it's a bygone age. Less materialism and more violence exists EVERYWHERE these days, so showing it creeping into suburbia isn't necessarily as shocking now as perhaps it was when viewed at the time. There are some nice performances here though from a wealth of British acting talent who went on to bigger things, and Oldman keeps you watching throughout as only he can; holding the screen with his intense passion. Disappointingly, though, the scenes which are most effective are often undercut by what follows, with the pace never quite finding itself even at a short 67mins. The ending can similarly be seen as a damp squib, but the one or two powerful moments in getting there make this a worthwhile experience for fans of some of the actors.
Gritty, violent, gripping....
posted on 30 Aug 2009Finally got to re-watch this British classic on the newly released DVD, and it's as good as I remember it in 1988. Football hooligans strive for power, trying to prove themselves before a venture with their teams into Europe. Gary Oldman showed what a talent he was as the lead character Bex Bissell, estate agent by day, Inter City Crew leader by night (and Saturday afternoons of course!).The film is relentless in it's progress, keeping you gripped, and you see the commitment the characters have with their commitment to the cause. All the actors play their part, and the only critisism of the film is at 67 minutes it's too short-you want it to go on longer, but all in all, it is a classic, and well worth watching. 8/10.
Gary Oldman, you've done it again!
posted on 30 Aug 2009I only watched this film last night and despite its short length, its really good. One of the very few films that Gary shows off a lovely British accent. You see Gary as a proud guy who is violent but also has a heart and cares for his wife and child.I recommend this film to hard core Gary Oldman fans only though. Others may not like its content.Is there no film that Gary cant do!!!!10/10
Gary Oldman doing what he does best.
posted on 30 Aug 2009The firm is a film about the antics of football hooligans who were in their prime in the eighties and Gary Oldman is brilliant at portraying how moronic these idiots were . We se how his "Firm" battle against other local firms and we see how they were not afraid to stab,beat or even shoot each other in the name of fun. I am not myself going to say these idiots did (or still do) in the name of football because this is nothing to do with football , the sport i watch and love , it is a social problem. The ironic thing about these scum is that after beating each other up they gang together and beat foreign football to a pulp. The film is an insight and it is great to see Oldman in a film where he does not have to put on an American accent but if you want to see a better film on football hooligans watch " I.D " . 7 out of 10.
I watched this a number of times in 1989 or '90
posted on 30 Aug 2009I have tried without success to buy this film through friends who have visited England during the years that I have been away. Despite the fact I avoided football through the 'boy' years, I thought this film was fantastic, and Gary Oldman showed his talents in everything he made after it.
Alan Clarke goes out in style!!!
posted on 30 Aug 2009His last masterpiece. Alan Clarke of Scum and Made in Britain fame tackles the subject of football hooliganism deftly and precisely exposing the unique structures of the hooligans while utterly scornful of it. If Made in Britain is Clarke's finest and Scum is Clarke's most famous, this has to be his most underrated. totally convincing, Clarke shows a true understanding of both his subject and of the medium in general. using the documentary style to a devastated effect, the film has a feeling of utter truth, Gary Oldman in particular conveys that as an actor giving an extraordinary performance of raw power as the chief hooligan. Sadly people regard The Firm only as a Tom Cruise vehicle where in fact hidden away is something far more powerful, far more exciting and far more real, as a result it seems that the film conveys more about the brutality of hooliganism than even news reports do as reports tends to cater for an audience, this obviously doesn't and is hard as nails and totally uncompromising.This knocks the similar I.D into a cocked hat. Undoubtedly one of the finest British films of the 80's. this is simply a must see and finally when Clarke died less than two years later, England lost one of it's finest, more realistic filmmakers.
The car bombing, the testosterone, and not a ball in sight
posted on 30 Aug 2009Different from the similarly-entitled Tom Cruise vehicle in much the same way that a punch in the head is different from a solicitor's letter, this is where the late great Alan Clarke - Britain's best TV director and perhaps the best British director of the 70s and 80s - finally got to work with Gary Oldman. Oldman is Bex, leader of a gang of football hooligans. His crew go head-to-head with another bunch of guys from Birmingham. That's pretty much the story.The insight, for which respect must be paid to screenwriter Al Ashton, is that these guys aren't poor white trash but professional men. Bex is an estate agent and when we first meet him he is selling a house to a couple by admitting to them frankly that it's rubbish. He shows them in and says "If this house don't sell itself I'm a monkey's uncle." Then he walks away down the path and, for a moment, scratches his armpits and gibbers like a chimp - an inspired bit of improv from Oldman.This was Oldman before he got into his period of being an American Ham - sharp, keenly observational and immensely likeable even though the character he's playing is a complete scumbag. There's a lot of violence, and violence in a Clarke film isn't a rowdy punchup, it's Stanley knives in the face and iron bars in the groin. A gun gets used towards the end, which I personally found a bit unrealistic.One of the most remarkable things about this movie is that at no point do you actually see a football. These guys aren't football fans, they're in it for the fighting. They were the energies that Margaret Thatcher unleashed and then affected to deplore. Guys like Bexy own much of Britain now.When Oldman got tired of acting in bad American cop thrillers, he showed what he'd learned from Clarke by making Nil By Mouth. The boy done good. The Firm was Clarke's last film; a year later he was dead from cancer. Don't miss it.
An Ugly Tale, Performed Beautifully...
posted on 30 Aug 2009Even though this tale of Grown-Up Gang Members is ugly, violent, and at times, shocking, nothing is more startling about it,
than yet another brilliant performance by Gary Oldman.Most people who follow Gary Oldman's works, will know that this is a role very far from the real Gary. Yet, as usual, he puts his entire being into convincing us that he is, in fact, a
semi-psychotic with a passion for physical violence.I recommend the film ONLY to SERIOUS Oldman-fans. Others will probably not like the material, nor the look of this dark film.
Social Realism or Did You Spill My Pint...
posted on 30 Aug 2009Oh Yes...This is no exaggeration. The footie the fights. This movie has it all. I grew up on the outskirts of this thing, and as the movie shows, it is all highly organized and the participants are like Baz, often 'regular, working people' who even without being 'under the influence' need to get into a good kicking. The historical reality is, English fans became banned in numerous countries (most of Europe) and interestingly enough often became one of the few male bonding rituals, where race was not always an issue, as long as you could 'deliver a good kicking' you were in- witness the racial mix of Baz and his posse. I use this Film in media classes, especially with international students as a good kick off point for looking at a certain aspect of English culture Zeech
Another entertaining film from Alan Clarke
posted on 30 Aug 2009After seeing Alan Clarke's "The Firm," the first thing I did was ask my brother, a big football fan, if the violence that Clarke's film portrays REALLY does go on in British soccer. For, whilst the main theme of "The Firm" is soccer hooliganism, it's main characters are in no way how we would expect traditional soccer thugs to be. After all, Clarke is reknown for making social realist films, and, as a whole, "The Firm" comes across as pretty darn realistic and gritty."The Firm" is about a group of soccer hooligans, who are highly organised in their plans for getting involved in, and, indeed winning fights on match-days. Gary Oldman is Baz, the head of 'The Firm,' a group of football hooligans who like nothing more than a good fight outside a soccer ground come match day. The Firm, however, also have a rival gang, who are much bigger and perhaps even better organised and more hateful. Following a huge fight where one of the group's member's is seriously hurt, the film ends with a chilling and genuinely shocking climax.The big revelation that "The Firm" tries to make is that football hooliginism isn't just going on amongst a few over-excited youths. Most of the people this film portrays have good jobs and families. Indeed, Baz is from a lower middle class background, works as an estate agent and has a loving wife and daughter. There is little evidence to suggest he's even much of a football fan."The Firm" is also a study of violence and how and why it is that some people actually enjoy and get a thrill out of it. Like his fellow gang-mates, Baz enjoys fighting more than anything else, and his descriptions of it throughout the movie parallel with that of drugs or alcohol ("I need the buzz" Baz boasts.)"The Firm" is a highly entertaining film, and, as we have come to expect from the late Alan Clarke, this is raw, no-messing-about-film-making. Similarly to "Scum," it's difficult not to get the impression with this movie that Clarke has found an issue which has interested him, and he's simply gone out and made a film about it. Clarke's films always seem to come with no-thrills attached, and that's what makes him one of my most favourite filmmakers.If I were to find faults, I guess it's length is one. I rarely complain that a movie is too short these days, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more of one. However, rather than being a film where football hooliganism is part of the plot, "The Firm" is ABOUT football hooliganism. Gary Oldman is quite brilliant and believable as Baz, whilst all the other performances are above par too. Decent entertainment and well worth a look.
I feel compelled
posted on 30 Aug 2009With the greatest respect to the previous commentators...YE'R WELL OUT OF OWDAH (forgive the appalling grammar/vocab. etc) I ask this question. Why would anyone remake this movie? It's not a movie. It's a wickedly acted morality play. That's it. For Americans..period. Oldman gives a great performance (I suspect he always knew he'd get $10M if he lasted long enough (Dracula anyone?)) Enjoy it for what it is. Early Oldman (he is a great but an annoying actor isn't he?) It's violent, so don't hurt people.....(this is a show and I disagree with all of it) Last point We Live on Borrowed Time By Barry Manillow We Love him so Especially Pugs
Good TV movie
posted on 30 Aug 2009Not a big fan of television movies but this one is quite good.A small group of football hooligans try to team up with their rivals to form a united front against foreign fans.The best part of this movie were the characters - all long hair, suits, well-dressed - in other words they were casuals. Oldman certainly is old in this role - he's married, lives in a posh townhouse, and has a respectable job as an estate agent. He's similar to the kind of person who in '30s Britain would have been a supporter of fascist Mosley. The main problem is that these characters are either too small or respectable to really be hooligans. Maybe that's the point? Bored men with good jobs looking for some excitement in their lives. The most interesting character was Oldman's wife - loved the way she shrugs and lets the cops into her home. Another good character was the old guy who takes the photograph (and forgets the flash)- a veteran of hooliganism -he dishes out advice to the young lads. Another part of the movie I liked was how everyone was politically incorrect and direct - unlike today's wimps for men. Loved the scene where they chucked their beer at the fat belly dancer. The most impressive scenes involved characters walking streets with the camera smoothly tracking them.Although it doesn't fully ring true The Firm is well worth a look.
A frightening movie and one of Gary Oldman's best performances
posted on 30 Aug 2009This is scary stuff right here. Gary Oldman's performance as Bixie is chilling. As I'm always saying... Gary Oldman should play every role in every movie! Hahaha! The film is a very potent portrayal of a few gangs of English hooligans in the early 1980s. The majority of the film follows a three-gang dispute over which gang leader will become the "Best Boy" or Firm-leader. The Best Boy gets to lead a consolidated version of the three groups to Germany as the official English hooligan death squad or what-have-you. There are many scary sequences, with realistic evocations of hideous emotions, and the violent moments are sometimes difficult to watch. I've seen more violent stuff on similar subject matter, but this one resonates very deeply due to such sincere direction and acting. I don't enjoy violence in my film experiences, but here it is concise and frightening, so I think it is worth contemplating if one is rarely exposed to violence.The dialog here is thick East London borough English. There are optional subtitles for English, and I actually needed them to understand the dialog. The amount of rough slang thrown around here was way over my head. It was pretty awesome.I know a lot of people will be turned off by the subject matter. I'm not particularly enthralled by it myself, but this is a real peek into the dangerous hooligan scene of the 1980s. It features one of Oldman's best performances and his role causes the movie to be completely haunting even months later.A ridiculously well-made, scary movie.
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Best hooligan film around
posted on 30 Aug 2009The Firm is one of the most enjoyable films of the hooligan genre ever made. Although it was made for TV on what was obviously a very small budget, The Firm outshines its modern day, big screen counterparts such as Green Street and The Football Factory.Gary Oldman is superb and utterly convincing as Bex, the cocky estate agent who leads a double life as a violent member of the ICC, the West Ham hooligan firm of which he is 'Top Boy'. As the film progresses, Bex becomes more and more unstable as a result of his almost pathological obsession with defeating the leader of a rival firm named 'Yeti'. This obsession impacts on his family life to a great extent and culminates with Bex's untimely demise at the hands of his bitter rival.The cast is awash with recognisable (and typecast) British TV actors such as Steve McFadden from Eastenders. Oldman shines amongst them and he perfectly captures the violent mentality of Bex with his seething fits of pure rage. His performance shifts from arrogant comedian to brutal maniac throughout the movie.Certain elements of the film are disappointing, not least the ending which is far fetched it has to be said. However, at just over an hour in length, the film needed a definite conclusion in a short space of time. Also, some of the casting choices are poor, especially the character of young Dominic who is a totally unconvincing hooligan, even as an "under 5", a young newcomer to the ICC.People always complain that hooligan films are never realistic enough. My answer to that would be that there are plenty of documentaries out there on the subject. This is drama, and whereas The Firm does not offer complete realism, it is as close a dramatic depiction to real football violence as there is. Far more so than say, I.D, which was just plain ridiculous.Overall, The Firm is a great piece of raw film and well worth watching for Oldman's performance alone. It perfectly encapsulates the era of hooliganism in the greedy, late 1980's.Eight out of Ten