Coming-of-age: How ‘This is England’ was inspired by a French new wave classic
Shane Meadows’ film This Is England is one of the finest pieces of British filmmaking to have emerged on this side of the 2000s. Set in 1983, it follows a young boy, Shaun, as he gets himself involved with a group of skinheads while navigating the recent death of his father in the Falklands War. After finding camaraderie in the group, he soon finds a father figure in Combo, a violent racist who manages to use his charm to manipulate several other young boys into believing his harmful fascist ideology.
Using archival clips of Britain from the ‘70s and ‘80s, including images of war, burgeoning subcultures, and politicians, This Is England paints a vivid portrait of a time where political, economic and social discontent was particularly prominent. The film depicts the horrors of Thatcherite Britain, where countless people were left to struggle due to the government’s unforgiving policies. The working-class characters at the centre of the film have all been affected in some way, finding solace and optimism within community and companionship.
Shaun is quickly drawn to the group, although when Combo appears, Meadows highlights how severe Britain’s racism issue has always been. The troubled 12-year-old is soon bewitched by Combo’s charismatic speech and begins spouting racist language to the Asian shopkeeper. Moreover, Milky, the only non-white member of the group, is brutally beaten by Combo, which is a turning point for Shaun, who finally begins to see how white nationalist views can manifest into life-threatening and senseless violence.
The gritty film is equally heartfelt, brutal and humorous, but most importantly, it feels totally realistic. There is no glossiness to Meadows’ depiction of oppression, violence, and grief, with Meadows clearly drawing from movements like British kitchen sink realism and the French new wave for inspiration. These eras of filmmaking were largely concerned with making movies that dealt with social issues and using things like handheld cameras to deliver a more naturalistic approach to filming. Most prominently, we can draw several parallels between This Is England and François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows.
Released in 1959, The 400 Blows follows Jean-Pierre Leaud’s Antoine Doinel, a 12-year-old boy who is similarly troubled. He repeatedly finds himself getting into trouble as he struggles to connect with his home life, eventually stealing a typewriter. He goes to a juvenile detention centre by the sea as a result, although, like Shaun, the boys clearly both need love and to feel understood more than anything. At the end of the French new wave classic, Antoine escapes the centre and runs to the beach before heading towards the water. Once he gets to the edge of the ocean, he stops and turns to face the camera, a freeze-frame capturing his uncertain face.
The 400 Blows depicts the struggle of growing up perfectly, exploring the progression from childhood into adolescence with complexity and understanding. Antoine is funny and loveable, but he can’t help getting into trouble, even when he’s trying his best to be good. Shaun feels like an alternative version of Antoine if he grew up in the East Midlands during the Thatcher years rather than in late ‘50s Paris. We know that, at his core, Shaun is a sweet boy simply suffering from grief, which makes him more vulnerable to people like Combo. Similarly, Antoine clearly needs more love at home – his outbursts of mischief are never malicious; he’s just young and impressionable.
The end of This Is England draws parallels between Shaun and Antoine even further. Following Milky’s assault, a shocked and traumatised Shaun heads to the beach with the England flag given to him by Combo. He looks out over the waves, processing everything that has happened, with close-up shots emphasising just how young and vulnerable he really is. The boy tosses the flag in the water, and another close-up allows us to watch him witnessing it disappear. Then, just like in The 400 Blows, Shaun looks directly into the camera before the film fades to black.
It’s a beautifully poignant moment which allows us to connect with Shaun. By looking right at us and breaking the fourth wall, Shaun feels like less of a movie character and more like a real person. Both The 400 Blows and This Is England are widely regarded as some of the best coming-of-age movies ever made. Their uncertain endings offer the perfect lack of a resolution that life itself often has in store.