The Riot Club (2014)

Nov 7

Not sure what kind of riot we’re having here.

Presentation:

The spoiled delinquent adventures of a posh rich kids in Britain. It explores the scummiest of wealth inequality through bratty Oxford students that are caricatures of every posh stereotype. This is a very different film in execution than what we’re used to. Most films will have a clear message but this film simply presents their immoral actions neutrally. The characters are deplorable, and yet the film even highlights their delusions. However, I wouldn’t say the director condones the behavior, but for some of the more literal audiences it can feel that the film does. There was a time when viewers could watch immoral behavior and understand the nuances enough to know that the director doesn’t mean to promote these ideas, but simply exposes them and allow us viewers to decipher for ourselves what is right or wrong. But this film is presented in a shallow manner that makes the final message ambiguous.

Conclusion:

This is a film that can very easily be interpreted wrong. It’s based off a true club in Britain with silver spooned brats notorious for trashing restaurants and compensating them. It’s morally questionable but ends on a strange tone that I don’t think was worth the risky implementation. For some, it may even glorify rotten attitudes of the condescending rich in Britain’s classes. But if the intent is for this effect to make us hate classism even more then maybe it’s quite effective, even if it is an unrewarding story. What I can give this film is credit for having a different take from 99% of modern films that constantly berate wealth inequality and capitalism.

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