Fresh and Exciting

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Harvard or whatever Ivy league college student ends up in London and joins the ICF or GSE in this case. It also happens to be Elijah Wood, which if your not giggling already, proves himself in the most stupid hooligans fight scene I've seen. There was some research, either a few well known books or talked to some known casuals. Pubs and train stations are the preferred ambush if no arena has been agreed. It seems like some Yank has seen this happening and made a film with US interest, which is why it fails, except on laughs.

Can you imagine that there is a single football hooligan in the whole of British football history that would be intimidated by the sight of Elijah Wood - running at them with his watery eyes, soft round face and clenched, child-like fists? Nah. Me neither. Poor casting, faintly ridiculous story and a bizarre caricatured representation of what British footballing culture used to be.

Despite what some reviews try to let us believe: it is exactly what the title says. It is a tough movie full of idiot behavior of scared, pathetic men. Of course there is always an other side to people. This also goes for hooligans. If you are irritated about stupid behavior too much and cannot look through the story, then this is not a movie for you. Otherwise this is quite a nice movie.

The Harvard's journalism student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) is expelled from the university two months before his graduation for stashing drugs in his closet in his room. However the cocaine belongs and was hidden by his roommate Jeremy Van Holden (Terence Jay). But the insecure Matt does not accuse Van Holden since he is the son of a powerful politician. Matt travels to London to meet his estranged sister Shannon Dunham (Claire Forlani) that is married with a baby boy with the British Steve Dunham (Marc Warren). Matt explains what happened to her in Harvard and when Steve comes home, he asks Matt to go to the football game with his brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam) since he has planned to date Shannon that night. Pete refuses since he is the leader of the GSE (Green Street Elite), a gang of hooligan fans of the West Ham United that usually fight after the matches. However Matt befriends Pete and his friends and fights with them, becoming a confident young man. But soon he has a lesson where the violence of the hooligan gangs leads them."Hooligans" is a surprisingly good film about violence and friendship. Elijah Wood performs an interesting character that changes his personality through his experience with a gang of hooligans. Pete is also intriguing since he is a history and physical education teacher for kids and the leader of a gang. It is good to see the loyalty of most of the characters to each other and how they change their personal lives addicted in fights after the football matches. The tragic conclusion fits well to the behavior of the characters. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Hooligans"