Podcast 94: Green Street Hooligans

The 3 Guys Podcast

Recorded on 12/18/2022

Stand Your Ground And Fight. In this podcast we review the listener submitted movie Green Street Hooligans starring Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam and directed by Lexi Alexander. WARNING: There will be SPOILERS!

The 3 Guys Rating

3.7/5

Notes From The Show

  • Quick Synopsis

  • Released: September 9th, 2005 in the United Kingdom

    Directed By: Lexi Alexander (also directed Punisher: War Zone)

    Screenplay By: Lexi Alexander, Dougie Brimson, Josh Shelov

    Story By: Lexi Alexander, Dougie Brimson

    Stars:  Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Leo Gregory and a bunch of other hooligans.

    Plot:  A wrongfully expelled Harvard undergrad moves to London, where he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.

    Taglines:  Stand Your Ground And Fight


    How did this movie do?
    Budget: Unknown
    Box Office: $4 Million

  • Casting

    • Charlie Hunnam wanted Tommy Flanagan to play the role of his older brother.

    • Lexi Alexander originally wanted Jake Gyllenhaal for the role of Matt Buckner.

    • Tom Hardy was considered for the role of Pete Dunham.
  • Trivia

    • Some of the young schoolboys from the football match scene actually went on to become professional football players.

    • The film’s working title was “The Yank”

    • In the hospital, Bouver is igniting his lighter signifying reflection (at what he did) meanwhile Pete is trying to put two halves of a Styrofoam cup back together, signifying his struggle to keep the GSE together after they find out Matt studied journalism.

    • Several lines indicate in the film that Tommy Hatcher and Bouver used to be friends before turning enemies, and that he’s got to be careful coming to Millwall. This is because Bouver was a Millwall fan before changing to West Ham.

    • Cameo: Cass Pennant – One of the Manchester riot police at the train station. Cass Pennant was one of West Ham United’s Inter City Firm’s (ICF) leaders and a notorious hooligan in the late 70’s.

    • A pivotal component of the film involved the Major marring Shannon, a “Yank”. In reality, Claire Forlani is actually British.

    • There have been 2 sequels made:
      • Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground was released straight-to-DVD in March 2009
      • Green Street 3: Never Back Down was released straight-to-DVD in the UK on 21 October 2013
    • The first recorded instances of football hooliganism in the modern game allegedly occurred during the 1880s in England, a period when gangs of supporters would intimidate neighborhoods, in addition to attacking referees, opposing supporters and players

Released: September 9th, 2005 in the United Kingdom

Directed By: Lexi Alexander (also directed Punisher: War Zone)

Screenplay By: Lexi Alexander, Dougie Brimson, Josh Shelov

Story By: Lexi Alexander, Dougie Brimson

Stars:  Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Leo Gregory and a bunch of other hooligans.

Plot:  A wrongfully expelled Harvard undergrad moves to London, where he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.

Taglines:  Stand Your Ground And Fight


How did this movie do?
Budget: Unknown
Box Office: $4 Million

  • Charlie Hunnam wanted Tommy Flanagan to play the role of his older brother.

  • Lexi Alexander originally wanted Jake Gyllenhaal for the role of Matt Buckner.

  • Tom Hardy was considered for the role of Pete Dunham.
  • Some of the young schoolboys from the football match scene actually went on to become professional football players.

  • The film’s working title was “The Yank”

  • In the hospital, Bouver is igniting his lighter signifying reflection (at what he did) meanwhile Pete is trying to put two halves of a Styrofoam cup back together, signifying his struggle to keep the GSE together after they find out Matt studied journalism.

  • Several lines indicate in the film that Tommy Hatcher and Bouver used to be friends before turning enemies, and that he’s got to be careful coming to Millwall. This is because Bouver was a Millwall fan before changing to West Ham.

  • Cameo: Cass Pennant – One of the Manchester riot police at the train station. Cass Pennant was one of West Ham United’s Inter City Firm’s (ICF) leaders and a notorious hooligan in the late 70’s.

  • A pivotal component of the film involved the Major marring Shannon, a “Yank”. In reality, Claire Forlani is actually British.

  • There have been 2 sequels made:
    • Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground was released straight-to-DVD in March 2009
    • Green Street 3: Never Back Down was released straight-to-DVD in the UK on 21 October 2013
  • The first recorded instances of football hooliganism in the modern game allegedly occurred during the 1880s in England, a period when gangs of supporters would intimidate neighborhoods, in addition to attacking referees, opposing supporters and players

About The Movie From IMDB

Green Street Hooligans | September 9, 2005 (United Kingdom) 7.4

Photos


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Videos


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Cast

...
Matt Buckner
...
Pete Dunham
...
Shannon Dunham
...
Steve Dunham
...
Bovver
...
Tommy Hatcher
...
Ike
...
Carl Buckner
...
Keith
...
Jeremy Van Holden
...
Dave
...
Ned
...
Swill
...
Nigel
...
Ben Dunham
...
Ben Dunham
...
Terry
...
Announcer

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Countries: United Kingdom, United StatesLanguages: English, Italian, German

Note: All images are property of their respected owners and used for editorial purposes.

Green Street Hooligans | September 9, 2005 (United Kingdom) Summary:
Countries: United Kingdom, United StatesLanguages: English, Italian, German

Quotes

[last lines]

Matt Buckner: [singing] I'm forever blowing bubbles / Pretty bubbles in the air / They fly so high / They reach the sky / And like my dreams they fade and die / Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere / I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air. / United! United!


Matt Buckner: I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence? I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go.


Pete Dunham: Fuck it, I will take you with me. You might learn something...

Matt Buckner: About soccer?

Pete Dunham: No mate. Not about soccer, AND FOR FUCK SAKE, STOP SAYING SOCCER!


Matt Buckner: You know the best part? It isn't knowing that your friends have your back. It's knowing that you have your friends' back.


Pete Dunham: You don't run, not when you're with us... You stand your ground and fight!


Matt Buckner: Pete Dunham's life taught me there's a time to stand your ground, and his death taught me there's a time to walk away.


Matt Buckner: [Discussing the West Ham / Millwall Rivalry] It's like the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Pete Dunham: More like the Israelis and the Palestinians.


Matt Buckner: Was that a terrorist attack? What happened here?

Shannon Dunham: Welcome to match-day madness. Tottenham was in town last night.


Pete Dunham: So, I'm guessing you're not much of a fighter.

Matt Buckner: Fighter? That's probably the first fight I ever had.

Pete Dunham: You call that a fight?


Matt Buckner: What are you talkin' about, baseball is a girl's game? The Red Sox has a guy that pitches the ball over 90 miles per hour!

Pete Dunham: Who cares? All that means is that he can have a wank faster than you.


Pete Dunham: [Matt and Pete are sitting at a food vendor stall, reading a newspaper the morning after the Birmingham game/fight] Fuckin' journos. Look at this.

[he slaps the paper]

Pete Dunham: West Ham wins 3-nil in a blindin' performance, and our little scrap makes the headline. Bloody muckrakers.

Matt Buckner: So, what is this?

Pete Dunham: Bollocks journo bullshit.

Matt Buckner: No, no, this, the GSE.

Pete Dunham: [whispering] Shhh! Lower it, son!

Matt Buckner: What are you guys, like, an organized political movement or something?

Pete Dunham: No, mate. We're a firm. You never heard of a firm in the States?

Matt Buckner: No.

Pete Dunham: All right. Every football team in Europe's got a firm. Some have two.

[Matt gives him a blank look]

Pete Dunham: Christ, I forgot how clueless you Yanks are. All you've seen of us is the stadium riots on TV, innit? Come on.

[they get up and walk away from the stall]

Pete Dunham: See, West Ham football is mediocre. But our firm is top-notch, and everyone knows it. The GSE: Green Street Elite. Arsenal... great football, shit firm... the Gooners. Tottenham... shit football, and a shit firm... the Yids, they're called. I actually put their main lad through a phone box window the other day.

Matt Buckner: [Matt looks down at the newspaper] What about Millwall?

Pete Dunham: Ah, Millwall. Where to even fucking begin with Millwall. Millwall and West Ham firms hate each other, more than any other firms by far.

Matt Buckner: Sorta like the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Pete Dunham: More like the Israelis and the Palestinians.

[Matt laughs]

Pete Dunham: We haven't played Millwall in ten years. Their top boy's this geezer named Tommy Hatcher. 'Orrible ol' cunt. Back in the Major's day, Tommy's son was killed in a scrap. After that, he went completely mental. Lost the plot.

Matt Buckner: Well, who's the Major?

Pete Dunham: Ah, the Major. Quite a legend 'round here. He ran the GSE in the Nineties, when I was comin' up. Hardest bastard you ever saw. They say we kinda lost our way when he left. But believe me, my boys are bringin' the ol' GSE reputation right back.


Pete Dunham: TOMMY! Don't you wanna finish me off then?

Tommy Hatcher: You're already finished little Petey! The NTO will take care of you in a minute you mug!

Pete Dunham: We didn't kill your son Tommy! YOU DID! You should have protected him mate! He was your son!

Tommy Hatcher: Don't you talk about my fuckin son! DON'T TALK ABOUT MY FUCKIN SON!


[first lines]

Pete Dunham: Fuck me. If I knew we was going to a bar mitzvah, I would have brought me fuckin' skull cap. Mate, Tottenham's due north. Are you lost? Or just fucking stupid?


Pete Dunham: So what were you studyin' before this geezer stitched ya up?

Matt Buckner: [Hesitates] ... History

Pete Dunham: History? I teach history!

Matt Buckner: [surprised] You teach?

Pete Dunham: Yes... cheeky slag! History and P.E. What you think the GSE paid a bloody wage? Mate I'm smart as fuck!


Dave: Now that we can stop kissing each other asses, I got to point out

[points at Matt]

Dave: ... you see the first punch he threw?

Pete Dunham: Yeah.

Dave: Little bit on the feminine side.

Matt Buckner: What?

Pete Dunham: A bit gay. A little bit gay.


Pete Dunham: Look mate, I'm not being funny, but the last thing I want to do is take you to the match with me. So here's how it works, you give me half the money, I'll go to football, and you can have a wonder 'round where Churchill took a tom, or whatever it is you Yanks do here in Jolly old.

Matt Buckner: Tom?

Pete Dunham: Tom. A tom tit. A shit. It's rhyming slang, like bees and honey for money. Or I could say to you, give me the fucking bees.

Matt Buckner: I made a promise to Steve.

Pete Dunham: Well Steve ain't here, is he mate. And to be honest, your pissing in the wind if you think I'm taking you with me.

Matt Buckner: Well, I'm not giving you the money.

Pete Dunham: You ain't really got a fucking choice mate. And your starting to ge ton my tits. Give me half the money.

Matt Buckner: [Matt points to something] Cops!

Pete Dunham: [Pete looks over to where Matt pointed, and Matt tries to kick Pete. Pete grabs Matts foot and turns to him] Well how fucking stupid do you feel now? Come on then, dance for me Yankee.

[Pete kicks Matt's other foot and Matt falls to the ground]

Pete Dunham: That's what you get for fighting like a bleeding tart. But try that again, and I will kick he shit out of you.

Matt Buckner: yeah, the tom out of me, i get it.

Pete Dunham: [laughing] Get up, come on.


Bovver: [Pete and Matt walk into the pub] Jesus, you two attatched at the fucking hip or what?

Pete Dunham: Leave it out Bov, it's getting old.

Bovver: Nah, I'm starting to wonder about you two. I mean if I didn't know any better I'd say you was a couple of gay boys.

Pete Dunham: Bov, we've known each other a long time yeah? I trust you more than any other bloke I know, but you're getting dangerously close to crossing the line with me. If you got a problem then it's your fucking problem, not mine. But if you wanna discuss it further, we can go outside.


Keith: So he's a Yank, AND an undercover "journo", looks like we'll have to give the boy two funerals.


Shannon Dunham: Once he finds out his golden boy got kicked out of Harvard, he'll dive headfirst into an empty swimming pool.


Pete Dunham: [after learning about why Matt got kicked out of Harvard] If he's done that to me I'd have beat the seven shades of shit out of him!


Steve Dunham: There comes a time when the best reputation you can have is with your family.


Matt Buckner: You look nervous.

Pete Dunham: Nervous? Fuck off...

Matt Buckner: Well what's on your mind then?

Pete Dunham: Only two little words keep every Hammer in England up all night... "United away".


Pete Dunham: Alright, look. We're sort of goin' into my place of business, right? Shut up until you're spoken to and you might have a better run at things. The only thing regarded worse than a Yank around here are coppers and journalists.

Matt Buckner: What d'you got against journalists?

Pete Dunham: How long have you got? They're lying fucking scum who'll write anything just to fill papers.


Steve Dunham: I thought you were going to the match.

Pete Dunham: Well, technically, yes. But, what happened was me and the boys got in a bit of a drinking session last night. One thing lead to another...

Steve Dunham: Let me guess. You've lost your wallet.

Pete Dunham: And me keys.

[car horn beeps outside]

Pete Dunham: Ah. There's a taxi outside.

[Steve walks away to get his wallet]

Pete Dunham: Top bloke, my brother. So, how are we my colonial cousin?

Matt Buckner: Fine, thanks.

Pete Dunham: [mimicking Matt's accent] Fine, thanks.


Pete Dunham: [after Pete introduces Matt to his friends at the Abbey] Where's Bovver?

Swill: He's been in the toilet for about fifteen minutes, like dodgy Ruby or something down at Bengal last night.

Dave: [Dave points at Matt] Oh, look, look, he looks lost. No, "Ruby Murray" means curry. We call it Cockney rhyming slang...

Matt Buckner: Slang. Yeah, like, uh, "bees and honey" for money.

Dave: That's it, yeah.

Swill: Like "struggle and grunt" for cunt!

Dave: Oh, you went dark. Why'd you go...

Swill: I'm not a cunt.

Bovver: [Bovver walks up to the table] Like "septic tank" for Yank.

Pete Dunham: [the guys greet him; Pete hugs him and indicates Matt] This is Matt, Shannon's brother.

Matt Buckner: Hey.

[Matt extends his hand; Bovver ignores it and the guys all laugh]

Swill: That's the proper, right? He don't give a fuck, does he? He don't give a fuck.

Pete Dunham: Mate, he's practically family.

[Bovver shrugs and the guys laugh again]

Swill: Oh, mate, it's fucking painful!

Pete Dunham: Bov's a miserable cunt, but we love him dearly, don't we, boys?

Dave: Eh, sometimes.

[he smiles]

Swill: Like a fucking brother!


Pete Dunham: [to Bovver] This is Matt, Shannon's brother.

Matt Buckner: [Holds his hand out to Bovver] Hey.

[Bovver turns his head and smokes his cigarette]

Swill: That's the painting on his face, he don't give a fuck, does he? He don't give a fuck.

Pete Dunham: Mate, he's practically family.

[Bovver shrugs]

Swill: [laughing] Oh mate, he's fucking painful!

Pete Dunham: Bov's a miserable cunt, but we love him dearly don't we boys?

Dave: Yeah, sometimes.

Swill: Like a fucking brother!


Swill: [when see group of Zulus] Well come on then! What you fucking standing there for you cunts?


Matt Buckner: So basically, firms are gangs?

Pete Dunham: Kind of... but we're a far cry from all that Bloods and Crips bullshit. I mean shootin' a machine gun out of a movin' car at an 8 year old girl, that's just cowardly. See, we might be into fightin' an all that... but it's more about reputation. Humiliatin' another mob in a row, doin' somethin' the other firms get to hear and talk about - like a Yank in his first fight battering one of Birmingham's main lads.


Pete Dunham: Hey broth, you couldn't make a hundred could you?

Steve Dunham: Yeah, how does piss off sound?

Pete Dunham: Oh fuck off. Come on. Get some drinks in. Get some drinks in. Get some...

Steve Dunham: Shut up! Just shut up. I'll tell you what I'll do, alright? I'll give you a hundred, if you take Matt here to the match.

Pete Dunham: Oh fuck off. You're havin' a bubble. Broth, you know I can't take a yank to football.

Steve Dunham: Sure you can. And your gunna be on your best behavior. DO you understand?

[Pete tries to grab the money as Steve pulls it away]

Pete Dunham: Come on then.


Pete Dunham: Fuckin' "journos." Look at this. West Ham wins three-nill in a blinding performance and our little scrap makes the headline. Bloody muckrakers.


Bovver: [after Matt has been introduced to the guys and sent to buy a round] What's with all the fuckin' babysitting? You know we had a meet set up for today.

Pete Dunham: It's all right, Bov. He'll stay out the way. It's not like we didn't have it last night.

Bovver: What? That's not the bloody point, is it? We'll look like right mugs if we set something up and our fearless leader don't show 'cause he's playin' pin the tail on a fuckin' Yank.

Ned: No, he's right, man. He's got a point.

Pete Dunham: You let me worry 'bout that, all right, boys?

[Matt returns with the beers]

Pete Dunham: As for the Yank, he's too modest to tell you, but back in the States, he's an internationally-ranked double-black belt in karate.

Dave: Is he fuck? Look at the size of him.

Pete Dunham: No, no, no, no. Bloody "Karate Kid" film? Based on his exploits.

Dave: Really?

Pete Dunham: Yeah.

Dave: Really?

Matt Buckner: Yeah, it's true.

Pete Dunham: Fuckin' straight.

Swill: Bollocks.

[Matt looks at Swill nervously]

Swill: Bollocks.

Matt Buckner: Come on, why not?

Swill: You're lyin' already. You been here fuckin' five minutes and you're lyin'!

[everybody laughs]

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