The first must-see film of the year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Absolutely fascinating film. You have to wonder, though, how accurate it is, especially with regard to the staff, the social workers who deal with juvenile delinquents. Interesting how the main scoundrel in this pic, a white teenager (played brilliantly by Tim Roth) who spews racial hatred, immediately befriends a black teenage lad with whom he shares a bedroom in the detention centre. The film is totally fascinating, engrossing entertainment, but it is a tragedy because it deals with hugely serious problems in society, problems that ultimately affect us all, and which are still out of control. Highly-recommended. 9/10.

Written by David Leland and directed by Alan Clarke, Made in Britain was originally broadcast on the BBC as part of a quartet of pieces dubbed Tales Out of School, all of which shared a focus on Britain's educational system. The films, all written by Leland, were a reaction to Margaret Thatchers political regime, and Made in Britain depicts the sort of character that was emerging from the increasingly violent and racist youth culture of the time.When we first meet Trevor (Tim Roth in his debut), he is being tried in court for throwing a brick through a Pakistani family's window and shoplifting. Defiant to the very end, the 20 year-old neo-Nazi with a swastika tattooed on his face is sent to an Assessment Centre while his fate is determined. There he shares a room with a black teenager with learning difficulties who he takes with him to the Job Centre where he throws a brick through a window and steals a car. Trevor is told by the superintendent that time and time again Trevor has ensured his life will result in an endless cycle of poverty, crime and prison, and this is his last chance to make a choice.Roth is a ferocious force of nature as Trevor. Alan Clarke's films always manage to turn its despicable lead into a charismatic, and almost sympathetic, human being. Normally, someone like Trevor would be an unbearable character to spend 70 minutes with, but Roth, Leland and Clarke make him into a fascinating embodiment of nihilism. The moment during his late-night rampage when he stares perplexed at a shop display of an idealistic family makes for a powerful social message. Everything is "bollocks" and everybody is a "wanker", but there's an empathy to be had with his complete disillusionment with the system. He doesn't even come across a particularly racist, it's almost like it's just another thing for him to hate. Surely one of the best TV movies ever, and a great achievement for the BBC during one of its most creative periods.

I'll keep this one short by just saying I liked this movie a lot more then I thought I might. By the middle of the film, I found myself laughing out loud at a lot of Trevor's comments and actions. In particular, the finger on the bell scene at the end of the movie had me in hysterics because of Trevor's sheer lack of respect for anyone else. His facial expressions were also a treat at times, especially at the end when you realise there is just no hope for him.Obviously this film is not for everyone, as it deals with the kind of issues you would expect from the director of the firm and scum. But if you realise this character is only fictional, and no one really thinks like that these days, you might find Made in Britain a fairly entertaining hour.At only 70 odd minutes, its hard for me to reward it with a higher score. But it was indeed interesting viewing, and a must see for any Tim Roth fans out there wanting to see where he started out.

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits Trevor (Tim Roth) is a skinhead with a Nazi symbol tattooed on his forehead roaming the streets of London with no respect and no regard for authority. He's about one step away from prison but first the powers that be are going to try an 'assessment centre', where his behaviour will be monitered and analysed. But will even the threat of prison and this decision be enough to turn him on the straight and narrow? Alan Clarke died in 1990, so his work was just about before my time, but it seems the bloke sure knew how to make a shocking film, with his most well known feature Scum and a few years down the line this very short but undeniably hard-hitting piece (which copies the aforementioned film's effective strategy of not having a soundtrack.) In his debut role, Tim Roth takes the lead and, despite his more calm, composed presence off screen, here he somehow manages to convincingly portray a dangerous and violent rebel completely off the rails and with little hope of redemption. The supporting cast pretty much shimmy in his foot steps.It's nowhere near as graphic or shocking as Scum, but it still manages to hit hard and makes me hope that one day I'll be able to see that other acclaimed film of Clarke's, the football violence drama The Firm. ***