Official: The Rise & Fall Of A White Collar Hooligan

[Sam@Cult Labs]

“Hard as nails Brit gangster thriller.”

Nuts

Opens in UK cinemas 22 Jun 2012

Soccer hooliganism explodes into the world of white-collar crime head on as two recently reunited footie friends find themselves way out of their league in this hard-hitting compelling British crime-thriller – based on a true story - from the producers of “The Last Seven” and “Elfie Hopkins”.

Written and directed by Paul Tanter (creator of “Jack Says” trilogy), produced by Jonathan Sothcott (Elfie Hopkins; Devil’s Playground) and starring Nick Nevern (Demons Never Die; Terry), Ricci Harnett (Rise Of The Footsoldier; 28 Days Later) and Simon Phillips (Airborne).

Unemployed and desperately seeking work, Mike Jacobs bumps into an old friend, Eddie Hill, during a post-match riot and arranges to hook up for a drink later that evening. Fortuitously, Ed’s got a business opportunity for Mike – working as a courier, cash-in-hand, no questions asked. Concerned that he might be getting involved in drug dealing, Mike’s somewhat relieved to learn that Ed’s scam involves credit card fraud and the only victims as far as they are concerned are the banks. What Mike doesn’t know is Ed is in the pocket of notorious London gangster whose choice of crime may have changed but whose methods certainly haven’t. Seduced by the money, drugs women and new life his new career delivers, Mike ignores the warning signs and, with circumstances spiralling way out of control, is eventually forced to make a life-changing decision, the repercussions of which will affect everyone close to him.

It’s a tautly-scripted scripted thriller that, perhaps for the first time, addresses the realities of what happens when what was once perceived as “victimless” white-collar crime becomes the domain of thugs and gangsters. And, much like “The Firm” and “The Devil’s Advocate”, it’s also the story of an easily-identifiable everyman who genuinely wants to do the right thing but, thanks to temptation, finds himself in too deep with no easy way out. The first release from Chata Pictures (formed by the producers of “The Last Seven” and “Elfie Hopkins”), the film also features a riveting lead performance by rising star, Nick Nevern.

[Sam@Cult Labs]

A little personal note.

If you see my posts on here or your friends with me on Facebook, you'll know that my tastes normally extend to the Arrow/Shameless stuff, rock n roll movies, biker flicks, girl gang movies and the kind of 60s French movies that involve jazz, Gitanes cigarettes, scooters and sitting in cafes and the title card at the end says 'Fin'...

As you can imagine, cockney crime caper and hooligan movies aren't my bag at all usually so it was with some trepidation that I approached this film. It surprised me by being something a lot more than the usual macho business. Far more a fish out of water, in too deep thriller about a morally torn lad's lad who finds himself spinning a in world beyond his comfortable existence of post-match rumbles and petty crime than a straight up exercise in East End wish fulfillment, it offers an insight into the world of modern organised crime and is a lot smarter than you might expect...

[Sam@Cult Labs]

Check out the TV spot on the Cult Labs blog:

White Collar Hooligan: The Trailer

[Sam@Cult Labs]

An exclusive Cult Labs clip...

White Collar Hooligan: Garage Heist

[Pete]

Great, another piece of hooligan rubbish. Be nice if one day someone made a film about proper football fans, the one's who aren't hooligans. Which is 99.9% of them. Y'know, a nice comedy or something, instead of the usual 'ard men nonsense which gives footy fans a bad rep.

[Demdike]

Originally Posted by Pete

Great, another piece of hooligan rubbish. Be nice if one day someone made a film about proper football fans, the one's who aren't hooligans. Which is 99.9% of them. Y'know, a nice comedy or something, instead of the usual 'ard men nonsense which gives footy fans a bad rep.

Fever Pitch.

Which is actually a terrifying horror film to me.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Fever Pitch.

Which is actually a terrifying horror film to me.

I forgot about that.

But that's the exception. Maybe hooligan films were relevant back in the 80's & early 90's when hooliganism was rife but they're not now.

[Demdike]

Originally Posted by Pete

I forgot about that.

But that's the exception. Maybe hooligan films were relevant back in the 80's & early 90's when hooliganism was rife but they're not now.

Totally agree. I've been going to Premier League grounds for twenty years and never seen any trouble.

I'm sure if rival gangs want to have a scrap they will arrange it, but its not worth churning out film after film about it as if its a major aspect of the game anymore because it isn't.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Demdike

Totally agree. I've been going to Premier League grounds for twenty years and never seen any trouble.

I'm sure if rival gangs want to have a scrap they will arrange it, but its not worth churning out film after film about it as if its a major aspect of the game anymore because it isn't.

I've been going for 12 years and I've not seen anything either.

Football in this country has come such a long way and we don't need to be constantly reminded of the bad old days. If they're going to make a film on the subject then they should concentrate on the efforts of the authorities who did an amazing job wiping out the hooligan element, rather than glamorise it.

[Baseball Fury]

To be honest, I think you're over-reacting a little.

It's a film about football hooligans, who were a very real thing that have spawned off their own little expolitation (as such) genre.

Should they stop making films about Nazis, because not all Germans are like that anymore? It's just a sub-genre of films, it's hardly putting hooliganism in the mainstream eyes for debate, bringing up the bad old years.