Ashley Bebbington delivers his verdict on the gritty British films you ought to be watching.

You can’t beat a good British grit flick. The following are my essential films that have had that title bestowed upon them, all containing dark subject matter, often regarding the British working class or criminal underworld, and shot on low budgets.

Dead Man’s Shoes

“God will forgive them. He’ll forgive them and allow them into heaven. I can’t live with that.”

So opens Dead Man’s Shoes, Shane Meadows’ revenge movie set in rural Derbyshire. It follows Richard – portrayed by Paddy Considine who co-wrote the screenplay with Meadows – who returns to his hometown after 10 years to get even with the gang who abused his mentally handicapped brother (Toby Kebbell). Considine’s dark, brooding portrayal of Richard is the standout feature of this film, in a somewhat scary display of a man fearless in his pursuit of revenge.

Whilst the plot is stereotypical revenge movie fare, the choice to film it in Derbyshire, at a time of year when the weather is overcast and gloomy, proves to be an inspired one. The film’s events take place in dingy flats, run-down community centres, and rainy village streets, providing a sublime backdrop to the dark subject matter.

The violence is often brutal, and sometimes difficult to watch, not least the scene in which Considine’s character tortures a number of his victims after spiking their kettle with a cocktail of hallucinogenic drugs. Add this to the genuinely shocking conclusion, and you’ve got yourself a great slice of British grit.

Sexy Beast

Set primarily in Spain, this may seem like an odd choice for this list, but at its core Sexy Beast is as British as they come.

Ray Winstone plays the lead, a former criminal named Gal who is now blissfully retired in a Spanish villa with his wife DeeDee (Amanda Redman). His chequered past soon catches up with him, however, when former business associate and sociopath Don Logan (Ben Kingsley) arrives in Spain, hell bent on recruiting Gal for a heist in London.

Kingsley is unquestionably the star of the show, who is delightful to watch as the mentally unhinged Logan. A scene to keep an eye out for is the fantastic moment when he lights a cigarette on a plane, refusing to put it out despite the protests of his fellow passengers and the cabin crew. Equally brilliant to watch is his subsequent conversation with Spanish airport security afterwards, when he manages to manipulate his way out of getting in trouble with the law.

The tense chemistry between Kingsley and Winstone really forms the centrepiece of this film, a British modern classic.

Kill List

The second offering by up-and-coming director Ben Wheatley, Kill List is a dark, disturbing movie that merges elements of the hitman genre, kitchen-sink drama, and psychological horror.

Beginning as a drama about a dysfunctional married couple Jay (Neil Maskell) and Shel (MyAnna Buring), and Jay’s friend, Gal (Michael Smiley), the opening third owes more than a little to the social realism of celebrated British director Ken Loach. As the film progresses, however, the dark past of Jay and Gal begins to become clearer, as we find out they’ve worked as hitmen in the past, with allusions to a botched job in Kiev.

The Kiev job weighs heavy on Jay’s mind, and following an offer of work from a shady client he’s reluctant to return to his previous occupation, but when money problems start affecting his marriage he agrees. The client provides the pair with a list of three names, and as each name is crossed off, the film descends further and further into psychological horror territory. I won’t disclose what happens, but the final third is a nightmarish, shocking piece of cinema that’ll stay with you for days after you’ve seen it. It’s not for the faint hearted, but if you’ve got the stomach for it, Kill List is a must-see.

Filth

Featuring a career-best performance from its leading man James McAvoy, Filth is the Irvine Welsh penned story of Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, a corrupt Edinburgh policeman with a penchant for cocaine, whiskey, and casual sex.

As the title suggests, Filth is absolutely disgusting from the outset, heavily portraying sex, drug use, foul language, and just about every bodily fluid you can imagine. The real triumph by the filmmakers here is how they manage to have you disgusted one moment, but laughing aloud the next; at times it’s genuinely side-splittingly funny.

We follow Robertson as he tries to manipulate his way up the pecking order at the police station where he works, engaging constantly in what he calls ‘The Games’; in reality these are his often-fruitful attempts to coerce his workmates into bringing about their own downfall. As the film progresses, however, Robertson’s dark past and excessive substance abuse begins to catch up with him as his mental health rapidly begins to unravel. As with Kill List above, this one is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but Filth is certain to be a future cult classic.

This is England

Set in 1983 against the backdrop of Margaret Thatcher’s recent triumph in the Falklands, This is England is a wonderfully enjoyable, at times tragic, tale of a group of young skinheads residing in the Midlands. Helmed by director Shane Meadows, the film follows Shaun (Thomas Turgoose), a schoolboy who feels alienated by his peers, who is accepted as a member of a skinhead gang. Things are looking up for Shaun and the rest of the gang, until the psychopathic but charismatic Combo (Stephen Graham) gets out of prison, and begins to influence the gang’s ethics with his racist and bigoted views.

The film explores the changing meanings and ideals of the skinhead subculture, from its roots in ska and reggae music to its subsequent adoption by white nationalists, and other racist groups. The young and impressionable Shaun is constantly torn between the two throughout the film.

The success of This is England allowed Meadows to create two spin-offs, This is England ’86, and This is England ’88, which were both broadcast on Channel 4 to critical acclaim.