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Awaydays

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Awaydays

2009

1h 44m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

33%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In England, 19-year-old Paul Carty (Nicky Bell) is bored with middle-class life. After his mother dies, Carty gets his friend Elvis (Liam Boyle), to induct him into The Pack, a group of soccer hooligans. Obsessed with The Pack and hanging out with the group's leader, Godden (Stephen Graham), Carty ignores his sister (Holly Grainger) and becomes immersed in a world of sex, drugs and music -- until someone ends up dead, and his relationship with Elvis gets a bit more complicated.

Critics Consensus

Awaydays is an overwrought coming-of-age drama that romanticizes the violence of 1970s street culture in Liverpool and neglects the requisites of a good script.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The performances are good, actually - particularly Bell's - but the film lacks any context... Ultimately, what's it all about, pussycat? No idea.

Aug 29, 2018

Full Review

Edward Porter

Times (UK)

Bell's wholehearted performance and the film's convincingly scuzzy atmosphere don't make up for the big hole in the script.

Rated: 2/5

May 28, 2009

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

There's no shortage of movies about Britain's mean streets and, for the most part, Awaydays runs with the pack.

Rated: 3/5

May 22, 2009

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Nikki Baughan

Roll Credits

[T]his is the tale of Carty and Elvis and, when the focus is on them, the film shines despite the grim feel that permeates every scene.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 30, 2019

Full Review

Sam Bathe

Fan The Fire

Awaydays comes close to being lumped in with every other British indie but the excellent production quality pull it through and director Pat Holden is left with another promising, if flawed, adventure.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 15, 2010

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Daily Record (UK)

A quality cast, strong performances and excellent period detail keep it feeling real.

Rated: 3/5

May 28, 2009

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Audience Member

One critic called Kevin Sampson's excellent novel "Catcher in the Rye with stanley knives" this film adaptation is more like Brokeback Mountain with stanley knives and an excellent soundtrack. It really is so homoerotic. I expected Elvis to pork Carty. If you need any evidence of them been trapped in the closet then the scene where they pick up the two shanks on the bus is all the evidence you need. Plus, the jealous head and bitchy antics of the Elvis the following matchday. Budget definitely hindered the final product but overall a poor adaptation of a good book but the soundtrack, Stephen Graham and some ultraviolence makes it watchable.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Honestly the worst film I have ever seen ( not just saying that ) it is absolutely terrible ! Never going to get back that hour and a half of my life so don't bother attempting to watch ! Everyone involved should be ashamed !

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

another film on football hooliganism and another poor one. Honestly, not every fan in 1979 wore their scarf on their wrists and had a fight. Disappointing.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Audience Member

Dunno what to say about this apart from the Interesting early 80's soundtrack. Also it kind of romanticizes the days when it was ok to smoke in pubs, on trains etc. . . . . and it wern't that long ago. Modern life seems kind of sterile after watching this.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

of all the football hooligan films ive seen this is the worst

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

great film, I thought it was a good movie, it was something like Green Street, it was a good movie but I don't want it on DVD, good movie it was better than what I expected

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

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Pat Holden

Director

Stephen Graham

John Godden

Nicky Bell

Paul Carty

Liam Boyle

Elvis

Oliver Lee

Baby Millan

Lee Battle

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Synopsis

In England, 19-year-old Paul Carty (Nicky Bell) is bored with middle-class life. After his mother dies, Carty gets his friend Elvis (Liam Boyle), to induct him into The Pack, a group of soccer hooligans. Obsessed with The Pack and hanging out with the group's leader, Godden (Stephen Graham), Carty ignores his sister (Holly Grainger) and becomes immersed in a world of sex, drugs and music -- until someone ends up dead, and his relationship with Elvis gets a bit more complicated.

Director: Pat Holden
Producer: David A. Hughes
Screenwriter: Kevin Sampson
Production Co: Red Union Films, Away Days Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 1h 44m

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