Scum

Er, the movie, that is. I bought it on DVD last weekend and have just finished watching it. The film is set in a 'Borstal', which was the predeccesor to today's Young Offender's Institutions. They were pretty notorious, ruthless places which young lads went into and came out as hardened criminals. The film was powerful stuff, featuring much non-gratuitous violence, bad language and a brutal, completely non-titillating rape scene of a young first offender by three older boys.

I did think it was a pity that the part of the original script, which featured the 'daddy', who was the boy who was top dog, in a relationship with another boy was cut. The idea, reflecting life in all-male institutions, was that neither boy would necessarily pick another man by choice but would 'make do' if there were no women around. Of course, in a less homophobic society than our own perhaps they wouldn't be claiming that they're making do at all, but as it is their self-image firmly proclaims that they ain't no poof! It would have increased the complexity of the 'daddy' character, who was a natural leader, if he had this area of vulnerability. But it was not to be.

It's a powerful film, which ends in tragedy. Again, this reflects life. Young men are the most likely segment of society to commit suicide. Young men in prison are even more so.

I then started to watch The Boondock Saints, which was lent to me by stageira, but the way over the top cartoonish violence wasn't best served by coming after the horrifying realism portrayed in Scum, so I've temporarily abandoned it to watch another day.

ETA: Changed the kind lender of The Boondock Saints from seiyaharris to stageira as it was actually the latter who lent it to me...