Riff-Raff (1991)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Bill Jesse (writer)

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The story of Stevie, a construction worker, and his girlfriend, an unemployed pop singer, serves to...

Plot Keywords:

Actual Animal Killed | Political | Building Laborer | Independent Film

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Robert Carlyle	...	Steve
Emer McCourt	...	Susan
Richard Belgrave	...	Kojo
Jim R. Coleman	...	Shem
David Finch	...	Kevin
Garrie J. Lammin	...	Mick
Dean Perry	...	Wilf
George Moss	...	Mo
Willie Ross	...	Gus Siddon
Ade Sapara	...	Fiaman
Ricky Tomlinson	...	Larry
Derek Young	...	Desmonde
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Alder	...	Director
Dominic Barlow	...	Pianist
Jimmy Batten	...	Man buying Kango
Terry Bird	...	Van driver
Tracy Brabin	...	Singer
Maureen Carr	...	Ellen
Lila Cherif	...	Client
Martin Clapson	...	Pub Band
Tex Comer	...	Pub Band
Brian Coyle	...	Youth
Les Davidson	...	Pub Band
Terry Duggan	...	Boss in office
Zohra El Harrack	...	Client
Joumana Gil	...	Client
Debra Gillett	...	Singer
Mike Haydon	...	Security Guard
Jimmy Jewel	...	Pub Band
John Kazek	...	Robert
Luke Kelly	...	Ken Jones
Benjamin Lush	...	Singer
James MacDonald	...	Funeral Director
Jayne Charlton McKensie	...	Singer (as Jayne MacKenzie)
Bill Moores	...	Smurph
Angela Morant	...	Estate Agent
Peter Mullan	...	Jake
Johanne Murdock	...	Singer
Vicky Murdock	...	Medical Secretary
Dylan O'Mahony	...	Youth
Stuart Peveril	...	Youth
Len Stonebridge	...	Pub Band
David Taegar	...	Producer
Anne Marie Timoney	...	Fiona

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1992) | USA:R (original rating: 1992)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Quotes:

Larry: Can anyone explain to me why someone's got to make a profit every time you boil a kettle, every time your kid has a drink of water or every time a pensioner has a warm by a gas fire?

Soundtrack:

With A Little Help From My Friends

Poignant Slice of the Work-a-Day Life

This unpretentious British indie film is a rough diamond in the rough. It chronicles the lives of a handful of blue collar workers trying to survive in early 90's London. It's almost documentary in style and narrative, which lends a feeling of authenticity, which is helped also by fine performances all around. Shows the humor, frustration and dashed dreams in an unforgiving society, and it has heart. It is at times funny, heart wrenching, and touching. The accents are thick, so you may appreciate the subtitles that are on some versions. I found them distracting, so I put some tape over the bottom of the screen. I had to strain a few times to understand, but I don't think the subtitles were necessary. Well worth a watch.