Purely Belter (2000)

Director:

Mark Herman

Writers:

Mark Herman (writer)
Jonathan Tulloch (novel)

Release Date:

3 November 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

They're a couple of zeros short of a grand

Plot:

Two teenage boys will do anything to get money to buy season tickets for their local team. |

Plot Keywords:

Newcastle | Car Theft | Bingo | Dog | Block Of Flats

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Chris Beattie	...	Gerry McCarten
Greg McLane	...	Sewell
Charlie Hardwick	...	Mrs. McCarten
Roy Hudd	...	Mr. Sewell
Tim Healy	...	Mr. McCarten
Kevin Whately	...	Mr. Caird
Jody Baldwin	...	Gemma
Kerry Ann Christiansen	...	Bridget
Tracy Whitwell	...	Clare
Kate Garbutt	...	Baby Sheara
Laura Garbutt	...	Baby Sheara
Su Elliot	...	Mrs. Brabbin (as Su Elliott)
Daniel James Lake	...	Matthew Brabin
Tracey Wilkinson	...	Mrs. Caird
Libby Davison	...	Miss Warren

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England, UK

Company:

FilmFour

Trivia:

When Sewell and Gemma are talking in private, Gerry wants to know what they're talking about. One of his mates comments: "What are you? Inspector fucking Morse?" "Inspector Morse" (1987) was a highly acclaimed TV series starring John Thaw and Kevin Whately, who plays Mr. Caird in this movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Gerry And Sewell Go To The Sunderland, they are seen getting the bus at Haymarket Bus Station in Newcastle City Centre, this is wrong because The Go-North East Bus Company and Nexus transport authority only run buses to Sunderland from Eldon Square Bus Station in Newcastle

Quotes:

Sewell: Well which do you want man, the dearest or the cheapest?

Soundtrack:

NOSEDIVE

Pure class from Mark Herman

Rougher and less stylised than Herman's previous features Brassed Off and Little Voice, Purely Belter nevertheless contains elements fast becoming his trademark. Sharp comic dialogue sugaring a pill of biting social satire; life for the post-Thatcher working class; and those little things that make life bearable, but end up cutting you off from life. In Brassed Off it was Danny and his band, in Little Voice LV and her records, and for Gerry and Sewell it's football.

Like Gerry, I am a passionate football fan who has only just been to her first match - Glentoran v. Liverpool in Belfast. A pre-season friendly, not even at Anfield. But when Robbie Fowler - my favourite player - scored, my primal yell of 'YESS!!' started at my feet and rushed through all my veins. It was wonderful. Herman captures that feeling even when the lads enter the despised ground of their enemies Sunderland.

In Brassed Off and Little Voice, Danny and LV break free of their obsessions into lives which are far from perfect, but real. But Gerry and Sewell don't. Maybe because they're so much younger: Danny can remember when the mine was thriving, LV remembers when her Dad was alive. Gerry and Sewell have only ever known this life. Only ever been waiting for Saturday to come.

Perhaps that makes this the darkest of the three films. Perhaps not. Purely Belter will thoroughly entertain you, and if you let it, it will make you really think.