Green Street Hooligans - 6

The story uses the obsession that Brits have for football (that's soccer on this side of the Atlantic) and merges it with a somewhat typical outsider joins the tight knit gang and slowly discovers the history and meaning of their actions. Elijah Wood stars as the American who goes to England to visit his sister and ends up hanging out with the Green Street Elite gang who are rabid fans of West Ham United. There pastime is getting into street fights with fans of opposing teams. The final lines of the film sum the theme up nicely: you have to learn when to walk away and when to stand your ground, bad things happen when you have chosen unwisely. The story is not new, but the film is entertaining and well told. The use of music gives the fight scenes a context of adrenaline rush, rather than typical anger mode. The fights are not really about hurting each other; they are more a way to show your loyalty and gain repute. This film makes American sports fans look like coach potatoes who argue the merits of their teams instead of brawling it out. Maybe that is for the best.