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Acting Hard
This collection explores representations of working-class masculinity in British cinema from the Thatcher era to the present day.
I’m the daddy now, next time, I’ll f****** kill ya!’
– Carlin (Ray Winstone) in Scum
The 1980s were a thrilling time for film and television in Britain, with investment creating a new kind of industry that aimed to reflect modern society. Thatcherism promised social mobility, and working-class men became defined by how easily they could climb the ranks, so long as they mirrored the respectability that, until then, was associated with the upper classes. But not everyone played along and a new kind of working-class man emerged – one that seeped into popular culture, where he has remained. He enjoys drinking, breaking the law and engaging in violence. He’s a petty criminal (Scum), a gangster (Face) or a DJ (Young Soul Rebels). This collection invites you to take a closer look at these frequently misunderstood characters and to ask what they’re really about.
- Nia Childs, curator
Face Face
Crime 1997 101 mins Director: Antonia Bird
Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone are members of a criminal gang that tears itself apart after a heist goes wrong, in Antonia Bird’s stylish thriller.
Bait Bait
Drama 2019 89 mins Director: Mark Jenkin
Simmering tensions between locals and newcomers in a modern-day Cornish fishing village reach boiling point in this hugely acclaimed British independent film.
Babylon Babylon
Drama 1980 95 mins Director: Franco Rosso
A young Rastafarian toaster (rapper) aims for success at a Reggae Sound System competition.
Bullet Boy Bullet Boy
Drama 2005 86 mins Director: Saul Dibb
Ashley Walters impresses in the hard-hitting Hackney drama that’s still one of the best of Britain’s black urban crime films.
Young Soul Rebels Young Soul Rebels
Drama 1991 105 mins Director: Isaac Julien
The Queen's Silver Jubilee beats to the sounds of Funkadelic, Sylvester and the O'Jays in Isaac Julien’s feature debut.
Nil by Mouth Nil by Mouth
Drama 1997 129 mins Director: Gary Oldman
Twenty-five years old and newly restored, Gary Oldman’s BAFTA-winning debut as writer-director remains a magnificent achievement.
My Brother the Devil My Brother the Devil
Drama 2012 107 mins Director: Sally El Hosaini
Sally El Hosaini's feature debut tells of the love and disenchantment of two British-Egyptian brothers as gangs, drugs and sexuality come between them.
Scum Scum
Drama 1979 97 mins Director: Alan Clarke
Director Alan Clarke examines the grim reality of borstal life in this searing remake of his previously banned television play.
Discover more from Acting Hard in our Rentals collection.
