Fuck Tha Police

Seeing as I've been running round like a literal crazy person for the past 2 weeks thanks to having to attend graduation up in Liverpool, having a job and what I'll call a social life but doesn't really count as one, I've only had time to watch 3 films and the opening credits of another. All of these films will be discussed at one point or another but today I'm focusing on Let Him Have It and Sus. If you watch either of these and end up with anything besides a disgusted view of the British justice system (however outdated this opinion might be given that one documents the Derek Bentley case of 1953 and the other is set on the eve of Thatcher's election in 1979) you are literally some form of zomboid who doesn't deserve the right to vote/exist.

Let Him Have It, in my humble opinion, should be re-made, not re-released. Christopher Eccleston does provide a fairly admirable performance, but so much of the rest of the cast are so mind-bendingly annoying you kind of forget about poor old Chris. The film is also inexcusably long-winded in its getting to the fucking point - there's setting the scene and then there's just taking the piss. Negativity aside, however, the Derek Bentley case has been hugely important within the history of British justice (to put it simply, Bentley was wrongly hanged for the murder of PC Sidney Miles even though he did not fire the shot and was in fact in police custody at the time - the actual shooter Christopher Craig was under 18 so could not be hanged), and so it is only right that it should be put to screen in this way. The film is also a huge milestone in the career of the fantastic Eccleston, so it's definitely worth watching to witness his fairly humble beginnings if nothing else. The DVD is out on 9th August so you know, make my job easier and buy the thing.

Sus is a much harder hitting film, adapted from Barrie Keeffe, the writer of The Long Good Friday's play. Clint Dyer who plays the lead is pretty bloody amazing at times - switching from suave, cocky, cheeky and charming to the perfect portrayal of the scared, grieving captive almost flawlessly. Rafe Spall and Ralph Brown, who play the two coppers however leave a fair amount to be desired. The two are pretty much just caricatures who wouldn't seem too out of place in a Little Britain sketch. Centered around the Sus laws, the film shines a light on the injustices of stop-and-search and the tragic consequences which can unravel as a result.

Both films have made me really eager to watch all three Red Ridings again (the trilogy was based on David Peace's quartet of novels and probably can still be found on 4OD or something). If you're looking to stir up some hatred, give these three, along with Sus and Let Him Have It a go - you'll come away feeling all political and punk and other words beginning with "P".