London Town (2016 film)
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''London Town'' is a 2016 American-British
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
directed by
Derrick Borte Derrick Stacey Borte (born December 7, 1967) is a German-born American filmmaker known for the dark comedy ''The Joneses'' (2010), which he wrote, directed, and produced. The film was his directorial debut. Biography Early life Borte was born on ...
and written by Matt Brown. The film stars
Daniel Huttlestone Daniel Richard Huttlestone (born 17 September 1999) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Gavroche in Tom Hooper's ''Les Misérables'' and Jack in the musical film ''Into the Woods'', which both earned him a 2013 and 2015 Young ...
,
Dougray Scott Stephen Dougray Scott (born 25 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in the films ''Ever After'' (1998), '' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000), ''Enigma'' (2001), ''Hitman'' (2007), and ''My Week with Marilyn'' (2011). Early life Sc ...
,
Natascha McElhone Natascha McElhone (; born Natascha Abigail Taylor, 14 December 1971) is a British actress. She is a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In film, she is best known for her roles in '' Ronin'' (1998), '' The Truman Show'' (1 ...
,
Nell Williams Nell Marmalade Baxendale-Williams (born 13 September 1998), known as Nell Williams, is an English actress. In 2015 she portrayed a teen version of Cersei Lannister (portrayed by Lena Headey as an adult) in flashback sequences of the opening epis ...
and
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), '' Bend It Like ...
. The film had its world premiere at the
Los Angeles Film Festival The LA Film Festival was an annual film festival that was held in Los Angeles, California, and usually took place in June. It showcased independent, international, feature, documentary and short films, as well as web series, music videos, episod ...
on June 3, 2016. The film was released in a limited release and through
video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...
on October 7, 2016, by
IFC Films IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...
.


Plot

In the late 1970s, Shay Baker (
Daniel Huttlestone Daniel Richard Huttlestone (born 17 September 1999) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Gavroche in Tom Hooper's ''Les Misérables'' and Jack in the musical film ''Into the Woods'', which both earned him a 2013 and 2015 Young ...
) is a 14-year-old boy from a working-class family in Wanstead. He divides his time between looking after his little sister Alice and working at the piano shop owned by his father Nick (
Dougray Scott Stephen Dougray Scott (born 25 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in the films ''Ever After'' (1998), '' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000), ''Enigma'' (2001), ''Hitman'' (2007), and ''My Week with Marilyn'' (2011). Early life Sc ...
). His mother left the family years before, and, according to Nick, lives a bohemian, hedonistic life in London. Nick sends Shay to pick up parts from a music supplier in London. On the train, Shay meets Vivian (
Nell Williams Nell Marmalade Baxendale-Williams (born 13 September 1998), known as Nell Williams, is an English actress. In 2015 she portrayed a teen version of Cersei Lannister (portrayed by Lena Headey as an adult) in flashback sequences of the opening epis ...
), a punk girl listening to
The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...
on her
Walkman Walkman, stylised as , is a brand of portable audio players manufactured and marketed by Japanese technology company Sony since 1979. The original Walkman was a portable cassette player and its popularity made "walkman" an unofficial term for p ...
. Shay becomes fascinated by the band, and follows Vivian through London. Vivian explains the politics of punk, with The Clash supporting racial cooperation and working-class empowerment, whereas the
skinhead A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England, in the 1960s and soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working class skinhead movement emerging worldwide in th ...
s advocate
white power White pride and white power are expressions primarily used by white separatist, white nationalist, fascist, neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations in order to signal racist or racialist viewpoints. It is also a slogan used by the prominen ...
and support the neo-Nazi National Front. Vivian and Shay manage to get the last two tickets to a Clash concert for the following day. After returning home to Wanstead, Shay spends the night listening to the Clash's eponymous album, dying his hair from a light-brown mop-top to a black pompadour. He also begins to wear clothes influenced by punk culture: black jeans, red button-down shirts, and a leather jacket. Nick becomes injured in an accident moving a piano and is hospitalized. Shay, wanting to go the concert, puts Alice to bed and leaves. He and Vivian attend the concert, where they kiss at the end of "
Clash City Rockers "Clash City Rockers" is a song by English rock band the Clash. It was first released in February 1978 as a single with the B-side " Jail Guitar Doors", the latter a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer's pub rock days. "Clash City Rocke ...
". The concert is interrupted by skinheads and police, and Shay is beaten by a police officer while defending Vivian. Shay arrives home to find Alice gone, but finds that she had gone to a neighbor's house after finding herself alone. Because of Nick's injuries, Shay finds the family falling behind on their payments. Shay decides to look after the shop as well as drive his father's taxi to make extra money while Vivian looks after Alice. With her help, Shay disguises himself as a woman to look old enough to drive. Late that night, he unknowingly picks up
Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer, was a British singer, musician and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash, ...
(
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), '' Bend It Like ...
). Strummer discovers Shay isn't a woman, and Shay confesses. They begin to talk about Shay's situation and his love of The Clash, still unaware of the identity of his passenger. Strummer gives him all the money in his wallet to pay for his fare. Shay returns home, and he and Vivian spend the night together. Shay wakes the next morning to find Vivian gone, and Alice is sick. He also finds that the water and telephone lines are shut off, so he drives to his mother's London flat for help. As Alice rests, Shay discovers his mother's lifestyle as a singer, including sexual promiscuity and use of cocaine. Shay returns to the shop and discovers that he's been served with an eviction notice. In an attempt to get help from Vivian, he discovers that she actually comes from an upper-class family, living a comfortable life in a posh neighborhood in London, leading Shay to feel betrayed. Shay, along with his mother's lover Johnny (Tom Hughes), goes to a concert in Victoria Park sponsored by the
Anti-Nazi League The Anti-Nazi League (ANL) was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions and the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups i ...
to see The Clash again. In a violent confrontation between punks and skinheads, Shay is detained and thrown in jail. He soon finds himself sharing a cell with Strummer, who recognizes him from the taxi. After they are released, Strummer takes Shay to see The Clash rehearse some new material. Shay recognizes that his mother's behavior is not suitable, and leaves with Alice. However, he finds that the taxi has been repossessed by the taxi company. In an attempt to raise money and pay off his family's debts, Shay sells the shop's pianos and converts it into a music store known as the Rock Shop, specializing in guitars and amplifiers. Even though he hasn't told Strummer about it, he advertises that The Clash would be playing at the grand opening of the Rock Shop. Nick is discharged from the hospital, and becomes angry when he discovers what Shay had done. Shay leaves home to spend the night at the shop, but discovers Vivian sitting on the sidewalk wanting to be first in line to see The Clash play. They reconcile and sleep on the shop floor. The following morning, they discover a crowd of punks has formed outside wanting to see The Clash. Nick and Alice arrive at the shop, with Nick approving of his son's work, saying that it should have been done a long time ago. Shay tries to appease the crowd, but Nick tells everyone that The Clash aren't coming. Just then, Joe Strummer emerges from the crowd with a guitar and plays "
I Fought the Law "I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for the band in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the ''Rolling Stone'' lis ...
" as the credits roll.


Cast

*
Daniel Huttlestone Daniel Richard Huttlestone (born 17 September 1999) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Gavroche in Tom Hooper's ''Les Misérables'' and Jack in the musical film ''Into the Woods'', which both earned him a 2013 and 2015 Young ...
as Shay Baker *
Dougray Scott Stephen Dougray Scott (born 25 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in the films ''Ever After'' (1998), '' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000), ''Enigma'' (2001), ''Hitman'' (2007), and ''My Week with Marilyn'' (2011). Early life Sc ...
as Nick Baker *
Natascha McElhone Natascha McElhone (; born Natascha Abigail Taylor, 14 December 1971) is a British actress. She is a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In film, she is best known for her roles in '' Ronin'' (1998), '' The Truman Show'' (1 ...
as Sandrine *
Nell Williams Nell Marmalade Baxendale-Williams (born 13 September 1998), known as Nell Williams, is an English actress. In 2015 she portrayed a teen version of Cersei Lannister (portrayed by Lena Headey as an adult) in flashback sequences of the opening epis ...
as Vivian Daniels *
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), '' Bend It Like ...
as
Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer, was a British singer, musician and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash, ...
*Pete Morrow as Paul Simonon * Tom Hughes as Johnny *
Sam Robertson Samuel Robertson is a Scottish actor and model. He portrays Adam Barlow in the ITV soap opera, '' Coronation Street''; and Flynn in the E4 comedy-drama series, '' Beaver Falls''. Background Robertson was born in Dundee, Scotland. He s ...
as Tommy Gun *
Kerry Howard Kerry Elizabeth Howard (born 24 March 1982) is an English actress. She played Laura in the BBC Three comedy series '' Him & Her'' and Leanne in '' Witless''. She also appears in BBC Three "Feed My Funny" comedy sketches with Lu Corfield and act ...
as Penelope *
Meredith Ostrom Meredith Joy Ostrom is an American actress. She graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts where she got her BFA degree with a double major in Drama and Fine arts with a minor in Cinema Studies. After graduation she moved t ...
as Rebecca *Paul Blackwell as Skinhead * Jeff Leach as Ronnie *Michael Chapman as Skinhead *Alex Marx as Doctor *
Yasmine Akram Yasmine Akram (born 11 March 1981) is an Irish-Pakistani actress, writer and comedian. She has written comedy sketches for the BBC and Channel 4, and played Janine Hawkins in the third series of '' Sherlock''. Early life and education Akram was ...
as Nurse *Leanne Faulkner as Rudy *Alex Gold as
Topper Headon Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon (born 30 May 1955) is an English drummer, best known as the drummer of punk rock band the Clash. Known for his instrumental contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fa ...
*Anya McKenna-Bruce as Alice *Peter Benedict as Sir Basil *Samuel Fava as Jack *Trevor Watts as Tow Truck Driver


Production

In July 2013, it was announced
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), '' Bend It Like ...
,
Liv Tyler Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...
, and
Daniel Huttlestone Daniel Richard Huttlestone (born 17 September 1999) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Gavroche in Tom Hooper's ''Les Misérables'' and Jack in the musical film ''Into the Woods'', which both earned him a 2013 and 2015 Young ...
had been cast in the film, with
Derrick Borte Derrick Stacey Borte (born December 7, 1967) is a German-born American filmmaker known for the dark comedy ''The Joneses'' (2010), which he wrote, directed, and produced. The film was his directorial debut. Biography Early life Borte was born on ...
directing from a screenplay by Kristen Sheridan, Sonya Gildea, and Matthew Brown. In July 2015,
Dougray Scott Stephen Dougray Scott (born 25 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in the films ''Ever After'' (1998), '' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000), ''Enigma'' (2001), ''Hitman'' (2007), and ''My Week with Marilyn'' (2011). Early life Sc ...
and
Natascha McElhone Natascha McElhone (; born Natascha Abigail Taylor, 14 December 1971) is a British actress. She is a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In film, she is best known for her roles in '' Ronin'' (1998), '' The Truman Show'' (1 ...
were cast in the film. Sofia Sondervan,
Christine Vachon Christine Vachon (; born November 21, 1962) is an American film producer active in the American independent film sector. Christine Vachon produced Todd Haynes' first feature, ''Poison'', which was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundan ...
, and Tom Butterfield served as producers through their Dutch Tilt Film,
Killer Films Killer Films is a New York City-based independent film production company founded by movie producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler in 1995. The company has produced a number of the most acclaimed American independent films over the past tw ...
, and Culmination Productions banners, respectively.


Release

The film had its world premiere at the
Los Angeles Film Festival The LA Film Festival was an annual film festival that was held in Los Angeles, California, and usually took place in June. It showcased independent, international, feature, documentary and short films, as well as web series, music videos, episod ...
on June 3, 2016. Shortly after,
IFC Films IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...
acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. The film was released on October 7, 2016, by
IFC Films IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...
.


Critical reception

''London Town'' holds a 53% approval rating on review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
based on 17 reviews; the average rating is 6.35/10. On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the film holds a rating of 46 out of 100 based on seven critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


References


External links

* {{Derrick Borte 2016 films American drama films American independent films 2016 drama films British drama films British independent films Films shot in England Killer Films films Films produced by Christine Vachon 2016 independent films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films 2010s British films