Product Details

• Actors: Robert Carlyle, Emer McCourt, Jim R. Coleman, George Moss, Ricky Tomlinson
• Directors: Ken Loach
• Writers: Bill Jesse
• Producers: Sally Hibbin
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303614299
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,846 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Although not of a genre readily associated with Ken Loach, Riff Raff is basically a romantic comedy--albeit one set against the backdrop of political and social injustice. Robert Carlyle is young Glaswegian Stevie, newly relocated to London and sleeping rough. He finds a job on a building site and embarks on a relationship with Irish singer Susan (Emer McCourt). The struggle that both the couple and their friends and workmates (the film is very much an ensemble piece) have to endure just to survive life on the margins of society paints a grim picture of early 1990s Britain, but also one that is shot through with resilient humor. Much of this comes from from Ricky Tomlinson's sublime performance, one that pre-dates his Royle Family role but bears all the hallmarks of his comic genius. Some of the political interjections are understandably a little dated and a touch heavy-handed, but Riff Raff is a film that successfully combines a sense of righteous indignation with a warm heart. --Phil Udell

Product Description

An ex-con turns his life around when he joins a London construction crew. Music by Stewart Copeland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tough in the trenches., April 27, 2000

By 

John Cobb (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Riff Raff [VHS] (VHS Tape)

In some ways I felt as though I'd died and gone to heaven the first time I saw Riff Raff, an out and out honest look at working class men of varied, and sometimes dubious, backgrounds connected through their work on a construction sight in London.

The cast of characters defines the term `mixed bag'. I couldn't help but think of a half dozen or so Archie Bunkers on the job site, each one with their own set of priorities, talking about the most important thing in the world, to no one but himself. It all brings a smile to my face.

Our closest look is at Stevie (Robert Carlyle of "The Full Monty"), a former petty thief, who works with a crew converting condos for the nouveau riche, while he's forced to break into an abandoned building just to find a place to squat.

Director Ken Loach expertly focuses on the lower class in Britain (witness his brilliant 1999 feature-"My Name is Joe") where the honesty laced with humor of his viewpoint tends to provide humanity to an otherwise ignored sect. To shine a bit of light on an otherwise dismal existence as it may.

Loach's characters are never overly redemptive: they don't hit the lottery; aren't left millions by a dead aunt; or marry a rich suitor. And the ending here is a bit short, trite. But they usually come through the film a little stronger having weathered their travails, feeling a little better about themselves. I dare say we come through feeling a little better about ourselves as well.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good fun, January 27, 1999

By 

Clive Pacey (london) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Riff Raff [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Ken Loach's excellent eye for humour, which can go missing from time to time, is well to the fore in this highly enjoyable film. Of course the socialist indignation is never far from the surface, and if there is one criticism, it would be that the left's version of regional stereotypes is alittle too obvious. But there are many nice human touches and enough substance to amke this a film worth viewing more than once.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WORKING-CLASS HEROES, June 16, 2007

By 

Daniel S. "Daniel" (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Riff Raff [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Director Ken Loach's RIFF-RAFF earned the 1991 European Film Award in the Best Film category. It was also Robert Carlyle's first film and the only screenplay written by Bill Jesse. Jesse was a former construction worker who used to put on paper little anecdotes about his work or about his comrades. For more information about him, buy the zone 2 DVD of RIFF RAFF available at Amazon.fr which offers as bonus feature a very interesting interview with Ken Loach.

RIFF-RAFF is more a comedy than a realist drama and some of its little stories are really hilarious like when Larry takes a bath in the sole fully equipped apartment of the building while veiled ladies are just about to visit this particular flat. The final scene of RIFF-RAFF reminds us that Ken Loach's characters, even if they belong to the lowest social classes, are also entitled to enjoy the flavour of revenge.

A VHS to throw into the garbage can as soon as the zone 1 DVD is available.