86
Metascore
23 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayTaut, tense, and self-consciously stylish.
- 90The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisA modest, near-flawless gem, This Is England is the fifth feature by the young British director Shane Meadows, doing his best work since he first hit the festival scene in the mid-1990s with his hilarious, raw-hewn shorts “Small Time.”
- 90NewsweekDavid AnsenNewsweekDavid AnsenIt has the feel of a classic coming-of-age story. It's the sleeper of the summer.
- 88PremierePremiereThis Is England may be best summed up as a "coming-of-age" story that puts aside the clichéd baggage often carried by the description and ultimately ends up being moving, genuinely funny, thought-provoking, and highly recommended.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumSad, menacing, empathetic story.
- 75New York Daily NewsJack MathewsNew York Daily NewsJack MathewsTurgoose, in his first film role, is entirely convincing as the strong-willed but naïve Shaun, and Graham is a genuine fright as the feral prototype of the violent skinhead culture on the horizon.
- 75New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoThe 34-year-old Meadows has assembled an effective cast, especially newcomer Thomas Turgoose as Shaun and veteran Stephen Graham as Combo.
- 75TV Guide MagazineKen FoxTV Guide MagazineKen FoxBritish director Shane Meadows' strongest film to date is also his most personal: A stylish fictionalization of his own wayward youth, spent among a group of working-class skinheads in Thatcher's England.
- 70VarietyVarietyWith its knockout lead perfs and taut if slightly familiar construction, this '80s-set dramedy about a skinhead gang reps Meadows' most fluently made film so far.
- 60Village VoiceVillage VoiceFacile pop psychology is the real tragedy here, a double disappointment given the film's smart take on pop culture.