Words: Josh Powlesland
Director: Lone Scherfig
Cast: Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth, Holliday Grainger, Freddie Fox, Ben Schnetzer
Certificate: 15
Running time: 107 mins
The Riot Club, adapted by Laura Wade from her original play Posh (which in turn was based on the actual ‘Riot Club’, ‘The Bullingdon Club’ at Oxford University) focuses on the actions of the eponymous ‘Riot Club’; a group of the richest and most potentially influential students from the university who are notorious for going out and treating people badly whilst destroying property, expecting to get away with it because of their aforementioned wealth and power.
The film opens with a brief darkly comedic flashback to the first ever meeting of the club and the death of the founder Lord Ryot, before returning to the present with ‘project grasshopper’ – the club hasn’t got enough members to fit the traditional ten, and they go looking for new recruits. It’s here we’re introduced to Alistair Ryle and Miles Richards (Sam Claflin and Max Irons, respectively), two first year students from equally wealthy backgrounds with vastly different political leanings. Ryle is very dismissive of most students, calling them tourists because they’re not ‘proper’ enough, wheras Richards is much more humanised, treating everyone equally and eventually falling for a poorer girl on a full scholarship (Holliday Grainger). These personalities are seen to clash from the outset with a debate lesson emphasising their differences both personally and politically.
Besides Richards and Ryle however it feels like characterisation is given short shrift throughout the film – arguably because due to the concept the filmmakers had to try and balance ten main characters in the club alone. The other eight boys end up effectively becoming ‘rich guy’ stereotypes from the overly charming to the socially awkward, and very rarely feel like actual characters. As soon as something potentially interesting starts to happen we are pulled back to Richards and Ryle, which is unfortunate because there are occasional moments really worth exploring, such as a few of the more traditionally rich members disapproving of another’s race, as well as the fact that he’s from ‘new money’.
The tone is a key element of what makes The Riot Club different, because it smoothly transitions from downright hilarious to shockingly unwatchable within a few lines of dialogue. It’s made clear from the start that these are not meant to be relatable situations and events, and the film cleverly reminds us whenever their lavish lifestyle seems appealing quite how out of touch they really are, with the ending truly leaving most of the audience cold and confused.
images copyright Universal Pictures 2014
