The idea of the Big Society is, fundamentally, one to be encouraged and one that gives more power to local communities to look inward, connect to one another and try to improve for themselves. This fake documentary takes it several steps beyond the positive ideal and sees a former military man be part of bringing violence back to the streets. Tackling small anti-social crime with slaps and punches, the man confronts yobs for littering or graffiti, forcing them to "volunteer" to remedy them immediately.
Delivered to-camera, the film is effective in several ways. Firstly it shows the downside of the idea, because generally people are better at focusing on what others are doing wrong, rather than looking at how they can do positive things; secondly it works because it is very convincing in the way it delivers it. This second aspect is a credit to the film but also a downside since it is pretty difficult to find any online listing of the film where the comments don't contain a fair chunk of those praising the film and wishing it were real. Personally I thought it was an enjoyable satire, with darkly comic and well written dialogue which is very well delivered by Rhodes, who captures the (self-appointed) moral superiority of the middle classes very well – indeed so well it is a bit creepy.
