Motorbikes, fast cars, punch-ups and 80's music. Set on the streets of 1980s Bristol (UK), this retro flick follows a council estate kid out to settle the score with local thieves.Motorbikes, fast cars, punch-ups and 80's music. Set on the streets of 1980s Bristol (UK), this retro flick follows a council estate kid out to settle the score with local thieves.Motorbikes, fast cars, punch-ups and 80's music. Set on the streets of 1980s Bristol (UK), this retro flick follows a council estate kid out to settle the score with local thieves.
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Featured reviews
In terrific, fresh, low-budget '80s-based blue-collar Brit dramedy "The Fence" David Perkins is a rough diamond young Bristol lad who has the new motorbike he'd been saving for stolen... so with the likes of big brother Eugene Simon and mates Deshaye Gaye & Gabriel Howell he goes on a gradually darkening hunt for it through various 'colourful' local characters (like Lee Armstrong, Alexander Lincoln & Paul Holbrook). The soundtrack's rockin' and Sally Phillips offers minor support, but the real stars (both on their debuts) are Perkins (bang on) & writer/director William Stone (great). It's a must see for all Brits of a certain age... especially if they're from the West Country.
Saw this film recently in Nottingham and really enjoyed it. It transports you back to the early 80s with it's council estate backdrop and cultural themes of the times. The characters are well drawn with their (for me as I remember those times) recognisable demeanours and antics. The story is strong with a moral tone and good pace. Along the way you get some unexpected laughs and great background tracks. The main character is complex - ambitious, caring and loyal. He's a likeable hero figure with a tough nut brother, who himself is a strong, silent type with a soft centre. Sally Phillips does an excellent job of playing their mother. All involved; actors and crew have done a fantastic job - I loved it 😊
"Steven" (David Perkins) tries to help his mum get by, by working for a local butcher and then flogging a few illicitly caught trout to a local restaurant now and again. The dad (Neil Berrett) is pretty much a waste of space and his brother "Andrew" (Eugene Simon) is only just out on parole - adding to the headaches of their mother "Sharon" (a few, brief, appearances from Sally Phillips). "Steven" is quite a decent cove as it happens, and has saved up for his dream motorbike - well, it's more of a glorified moped, really. Anyway, he buys it, takes it for a hurl, leaves it outside his house and it's pinched. The police don't care, so he and his brother decide to track it down - easily done as it happens - and that puts in train a series of rather predictable, sometimes comically violent, daft escapades as the brothers tackle the local bullies, the local kingpin and make it clear that their family is not one to be messed with. It helps that it is set in Bristol - a more genteel environment for the cast on screen here. This would not have worked in a gritty, more working class city, but here you can overlook the "posh-boy" elements of the casting and just enjoy what is a quite well written and decently directed low-budget feature. The ending is a wee bit farcical, but there's familial chemistry to be seen here and the acting, though not likely to garner a BAFTA, makes for an engaging look at a family looking out for each other. No, you won't remember it afterwards - but it is worth a watch and you're bound to recall some of the music if you were around in the eighties.
When I first looked down the reviews, I was wondering whether they were written by people who worked on the movie as I'm certain this sometimes happens.
However, this is lots of fun with a generally witty script, and a phew laugh out loud moments. For those of us, who can remember what the 80s were like, the old Ford Escort, that struggled to start in cold weather and some cheesy music. With a couple of exceptions, the soundtrack, while not featuring the best music of the 80s by a long way, will still evoke some happy memories.
The lead roles are extremely well played, especially by he always watchable Sally Phillips.
Take some of the story with a pinch of salt and have a good chuckle.
Very much Recommended.
However, this is lots of fun with a generally witty script, and a phew laugh out loud moments. For those of us, who can remember what the 80s were like, the old Ford Escort, that struggled to start in cold weather and some cheesy music. With a couple of exceptions, the soundtrack, while not featuring the best music of the 80s by a long way, will still evoke some happy memories.
The lead roles are extremely well played, especially by he always watchable Sally Phillips.
Take some of the story with a pinch of salt and have a good chuckle.
Very much Recommended.
Brilliantly filmed, took us right back to the 80's. This is what it was like. Loved the cars and music, clothes that we used to wear. The houses and decor everything as it was. It was like taking a trip down memory Lane. Very relatable coming from south Bristol myself I remember the tension between Hartcliffe and Knowle West youngsters.
Had us laughing out loud Some sad parts but the reality of the times back then. Hope there are more like this in the future. If you can see it in the cinema it's worth going you won't be disappointed.
I think the young lad who played Steve has a promising career ahead of him.
Had us laughing out loud Some sad parts but the reality of the times back then. Hope there are more like this in the future. If you can see it in the cinema it's worth going you won't be disappointed.
I think the young lad who played Steve has a promising career ahead of him.
Did you know
- TriviaThe Gatcombe Pub features, this was a well known drinking hole in Hartcliffe in the 1980s. As was The Town Talk which was on the outskirts of Hartcliffe. The Gatcombe no longer exists but The Towns Talk still does having been renamed The Yanliegh Inn.
- GoofsWhen the two blokes rock up to drop someone off in the gold coloured Mk 3 escort, the registration mark is wrong as Mk 3 escorts started with W registration whereas that one was R registered which is before the end of the Mk 2 escorts.
- SoundtracksToo Shy
written by Steve Askew, Nick Beggs, Stuart Neale, Jez Strode & Christopher Hamill
performed by Kajagoogoo
- How long is The Fence?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Gdzie jest mój motor?
- Filming locations
- Hartcliffe, Bristol, England, UK(main location)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $31,944
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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