Dreadfully Boring

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Bacup, Rossendale, Lancashire on 11 August 2007, and Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were set upon by a pack of feral thugs - their crime was to be different, to dress differently from their attackers. The attack left both Sophie and Robert in comas, Sophie would never wake up, murdered for being different. This BBC film tells the story.Back in the dead part of 1970s Great Britain, I was a Punk Rocker, something that to many was akin to being the Devil's spawn. So much so a car swerved to try and hit me one day as I crossed the road, the ignorance and intolerance back then still manifests itself today, quite often with tragic and hateful consequence. Upon watching Murdered for Being Different, the impact of the overwhelming sadness is only rivalled by the revulsion at those responsible for Sophie's death. The film is a valid and highly worthy production, picking up on the burgeoning love between Sophie and Robert, and then taking us to that fateful early August 11th morning. We observe the immediate aftermath and subsequent investigation into the incident, the effects of such on family and a key witness to what had unfolded. The pic is guilty of cutting corners, we really should have had more on the attackers post the attack, on how they reacted in the run up to their arrest (media tells us they were unrepentant scum), while a tactful omission of Sophie's mother in the play is noted with respect but still leaves a hole.But ultimately complaints are churlish, for this makes its mark. It's very well produced, the performances very tight, with Abigail Lawrie as Sophie doing her proud and Reiss Jarvis superb as the conflicted key witness Michael Gorman. Soundtrack is pin sharp, right up to the finale which is played out to the haunting grace of Placebo covering Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill. A distressing viewing experience but one that all should be privy to, point made and hopefully a jolt to the system of any human being with the potential for hate crime in their black hearts. 9/10

Oh boy, as it really been 10 years already? 10 years since I, like many others were scared to walk on the park outside our home after this? Before our community was divided, before the town suffered a reputation it didn't deserve because of the act of these animals? 10 whole years, really? Before these 'people' attacked Sophie they had attacked a female goth friend of ours in the same location and we had to call the Police. They ran away and continued to beat up people and get convictions for it.Then the events of this sad night happened despite residents close to the park complaining about anti social behavior at the park. There is much more to the mobs mentality than portrayed here, but never the less this was a beautiful drama of a very real, very horrific event.The use of real locations throughout definitely helps, the acting and props are of movie quality. The story is researched and dealt with sensitivity. It goes graphic towards the end, but this is fake, the events of the night weren't. So in my view, if you can't handle a fake drama based on a real event, then you can't handle reality, because this really happened, never forget that.The film is good at portraying feelings and views of all those affected in the attack, including the gang member who phoned the ambulance. The pressure he was under must have been insane and we get the feeling of hopelessness here. The story is well set up to bring us to a conclusion and ends on a bitter sweet note. We have to be who we are, in a world of constantly rising hate for those who dare to be different.I will say that you have to watch this movie, but as a local Bacup lad struggling with my own identity at the time this event happened basically on my doorstep, I may be a bit bias. Sure you could go through your life without knowing this story, but the next time you hate on someone for the way they are, just remember, this is the extreme tail end of that. In a society full of division we hate each other instead of what is making us feel the way we do.Pros- Very well shot visuals and audio. Very well researched to real events. Gets the points of the narrative across clearly. Uses real locations to give a sense of reality. Uses real names and nicknames of the attackers. Very good acting and pacing.Cons- Ending feels too rushed after showing the attack- I would have liked an extra 30 mins seeing robs gradual build up to being himself rather than just cutting to it, the guy was mashed.Some aspects of the story were overlooked- like the attackers pulling out sophies braids for example. Another example of this is the attackers hiding/washing clothes and what they did in the 7 days after the attack while they were still at large, including washing blood off their hands at the local petrol station. This was, however alluded too. It shows nothing of them bragging about what they did.Some location interiors clash with the Bacup exterior, I get that interior shots were probably done elsewhere but a city like backdrop in some windows ruined the immersion.Again it doesn't mention the rap video the gang did or look at the gang aspect of the murders, nor mention what their previous convictions actually were. (Stomping a guy, stomping a girl. I.E Sophie wasn't the first attack from the group.)All in all I give it 7/10.I'd like to see an extended version looking at the aspects above, but I guess those who want to look into the story will find them. It does get bleak and graphic, but the events of that night were bleak and graphic. It's nothing more than horror film visuals however, but it could trigger people who remember the event, but it should always be remembered.

I was so impressed by the acting - especially the young actors and especially Reiss Jarvis playing Michael Gorman: he was a naturally brilliant actor and seemed to play the role effortlessly - every glance and shrug perfect. This is someone to watch. All the other young actors were excellent as well.The weaving of the storyline was very powerfully and creatively done. It wasn't patronising, but could have done with a bit more time to expand some of the storyline/viewpoints.It is not often that I watch a film about a topic as challenging as this and see a masterful combination of skills across the board.The directing/editing and writing were also so good.

A wonderful BBC Drama based on tragic true events. It conveys the problems of our modern society, whilst presenting the idea of fighting for who you are; however, I do believe what would make this even better is to show some of the perspectives from Sophie's parents, but presides from that, this is definitely worth a watch.