''Awaydays'' is a 2009 British
crime drama
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
film directed by
Pat Holden and starring Nicky Bell,
Liam Boyle and
Stephen Graham
Stephen Joseph Graham (born 3 August 1973) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in the film ''This Is England'' (2006) and its television sequels ''This Is England '86'' (2010), '' This Is England '88'' ( ...
.
It is based on the novel of the same name by
Kevin Sampson that was published in 1998.
The film follows Paul Carty, a 19-year-old in the aftermath of his mother's death who becomes part of The Pack - a legendary group of football hooligans who dress casual and wear
Peter Storm cagoule
A cagoule (), also spelled cagoul, kagoule or kagool, is the British English term for a lightweight weatherproof raincoat or anorak with a hood (usually without lining), which often comes in knee-length form.The Chambers Dictionary, 1994, The Ca ...
s, carry
Stanley knives and follow
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ado ...
Plot
The film begins in 1979 with Paul Carty (Nicky Bell), with his sister Molly, (
Holliday Grainger
Holliday Clark Grainger (born 27 March 1988), also credited as Holly Grainger, is an English screen and stage actress. Some of her prominent roles are Kate Beckett in the BAFTA award-winning children's series ''Roger and the Rottentrolls'', Luc ...
) and father, at his mother's graveside. After his sister escorts her dad away from the grave, Carty, looking at his watch, starts to run off. Along his way he gets changed into casual clothing and carries on running until he catches a football special train.
Aboard the train, he meets the leader of the football firm, John Godden (
Stephen Graham
Stephen Joseph Graham (born 3 August 1973) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in the film ''This Is England'' (2006) and its television sequels ''This Is England '86'' (2010), '' This Is England '88'' ( ...
), an ex-soldier who warns him he has no room for runners in his firm and he best stand his ground. When walking through the train, he meets Elvis (
Liam Boyle), and Carty reminisces about how they met in a series of flashbacks. We learnt that Carty has always been fascinated by The Pack, observing them at Tranmere games when they fight and trying to dress like them, at which point Baby Millan (
Oliver Lee), taunts Carty and threatens him but Elvis leads the other lads away and Carty stands his ground. Carty eventually meets Elvis at a club night and the pair realise they have many things in common from music taste to wanting out of Birkenhead. The pair fantasise about leaving for Berlin. Carty, over their next few meetings, begs Elvis to introduce him to The Pack but Elvis calls them a "gang of pricks" and says Carty does not want to be involved. Eventually, after Carty headbutts a rude sales assistant in a record shop to prove his fighting skills, Elvis gives in and tells him to meet him on the train at 12:00 on Saturday.
It fast-forwards onto the train again, and The Pack are led by Godden to meet a rival firm. Once there, the two groups scrap and Carty is taken over by a thrill as he is embroiled in the fight. Carty returns home and we discover that his sister knows about his fascination with The Pack. The next day, Carty promises to take her shopping for her birthday in Chester. However, after an argument with Elvis when Elvis tells him he is making a "twat out of himself", Carty leaves work to find Elvis there. The pair go for a drink and forget about their argument, and Carty forgets completely about his sister. He promises he will take her out another time the day after, as his mind is firmly on the meet The Pack has when they travel to Wrexham that day. Once there, police attempt to form a barrier between the firms but Carty breaks through and cuts a Wrexham fan with his Stanley - much to the delight of Godden, who finally accepts him as one of The Pack. Everyone toasts Carty on the train home, except Baby Millan and Elvis who are far from happy about his new status. That night at The Pelican, the HQ and chosen pub of The Pack, Carty is "initiated" with a girl who he takes outside to have sex with. Once out there, Godden warns Baby Millan to not deal heroin to the members of the firm, warning The Pack cannot have any "smackheads". Baby replies "But it's okay for Elvis to do it?", much to the puzzlement of Godden and the rest of the firm. Outside, Carty does not perform well with the girl, and the lads all rib him for this.
Carty and Elvis one night meet two women, Sonia (
Rebecca Atkinson
Rebecca Atkinson (born 22 September 1983) is an English actress, known for portraying Karen Maguire in '' Shameless'' from 2004 until 2013.
Early life and education
Atkinson studied theatre and dance at Preston College.
Career
Before her te ...
) and Jackie on a bus and take them back to Elvis' bohemian-style flat, which has stars on the wall and a noose to remind him of the "certainty of death". Elvis' behaviour becomes erratic as he consumes heroin, and when Carty refuses, Elvis rejects Sonia's advances and plays the guitar instead. Carty, waking up, sees Sonia in the bathroom and the pair have sex. The next day, Elvis and Carty are on their way to another away day when the pair argue in front of Godden. Elvis, taunting Carty's choice of women, is obviously hurt when Carty taunts his performance in bed with the women in front of The Pack. Godden taunts Elvis for taking heroin. Carty tries to apologise to Elvis as the pair walk in front of The Pack, and Carty spots the opposition firm coming towards them. He yells at the firm and urges The Pack to join them - and Godden does, only briefly, before headbutting Carty and telling him he is the leader of The Pack. Carty's reign as a top boy in the firm is over and Elvis is back to his jovial self on the train home as Carty sulks in the corner.
Carty forgets about the Pack for a while and we see him telling his boss, Uncle Bob, that he will go back to college to do his Foundation Course. He spends more time with his sister and he urges her to go out one night. In a taxi, Carty meets a pretty girl, Natasha (
Sacha Parkinson
Sacha Louise Parkinson (born 11 March 1992) is an English actress, known for her role as Sian Powers on the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''.
Early life
Sacha Louise Parkinson was born on 11 March 1992 in Salford, Greater Manchester, the ...
), whom he had previously met in a club. The pair are spending a romantic night in when Carty's sister enters, visibly shaken up. She has been roughed up by a gang of boys and Carty, attempting to sort them out, is beaten up by them too. He recruits the help of Elvis and The Pack (without Godden, who Elvis informs him, has been killed by Baby Millan after a disagreement in The Pelican). The Pack beat up the gang of lads who roughed up Carty's sister, and Carty finds Elvis crying on the waterfront. Carty thanks him and says he owes Elvis one, but Elvis replies Carty does not owe him anything, and tells Carty "He always loved you, Carty".
At Godden's funeral, Carty is sitting in the church after everyone leaves when Elvis enters and asks Carty if he will hear his confession. Carty, confused, agrees. Elvis is seen through the confession booth inhaling what appears to be heroin, and he tells Carty to come away with him to Berlin. Carty, currently enjoying a healthy relationship with his family, tells him he cannot yet. Elvis is upset by this, and tells him "He always loved you Carty", meaning himself. Elvis asks Carty for one more away day, before leaving.
At the final away day, Carty is stood on the station platform waiting for Elvis to meet him yet there is no sign of him. He catches the train just in time and as the train pulls away, Elvis is visible sat on top of a bridge overlooking the track, as the train crosses underneath it, the bridge is covered in smoke and once it clears, Elvis has gone, hinting at suicide. Carty is out of place in The Pack without Elvis and after a final meet with a local firm in which Carty does not get involved, he is cut with a knife by Baby Millan, who calls him a "ponce". Carty then turns away from The Pack and walks out of the street, saying "How long had I waited for this day? Out of here. Out of this."
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of ''Awaydays'' (released by the
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
) is pivotal to the film and comprises
post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
and
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
, appropriate for the film's setting and atmosphere, especially focused on the music of
Ultravox
Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
and
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...
;Track listing
#
Ultravox
Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
-
Young Savage
"Young Savage" is the second single by Ultravox!. It was released as a single by Island Records on 28 May 1977, during a time of experimentation to define a new sound for the band, in advance of their second album.
The song was made in a pun ...
(2:58)
# Carty And Elvis in Eric's (0:21)
#
The Rascals
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
- All That Jazz (2:57)
#
Cabaret Voltaire -
Nag Nag Nag
Nag Nag Nag was an influential London club night at Simon Hobart's Ghetto nightclub. Founded by DJ, promoter and musician Jonny Slut in 2002, it ran for six years. The night is commonly associated with the ambisexual post-electroclash scene.
His ...
(4:38)
# "Sunrise" (0:49)
# "Liverpool 1979" (1:11)
#
Magazine
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
- The Light Pours Out of Me (4:35)
# "When We Go To Berlin" (0:58)
#
Ultravox
Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
-
Slow Motion
Slow motion (commonly abbreviated as slo-mo or slow-mo) is an effect in film-making whereby time appears to be slowed down. It was invented by the Austrian priest August Musger in the early 20th century. This can be accomplished through the use o ...
(3:27)
# "Wool Stomp" (1:17)
#
The Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...
-
10:15 Saturday Night (Home Demo) (4:35)
#
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...
-
Insight
Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings:
*a piece of information
*the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intu ...
(4:23)
# "Come And See The Stars" (0:39)
# "Elvis's Dub" (2:36)
# "Carty Deflated" (1:48)
# "Carty's Revenge" (1:07)
#
Echo & the Bunnymen -
Going Up (4:01)
# Carty's Last Awayday (1:27)
#
Ultravox
Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
-
Just For a Moment (3:12)
#
The Mekons
The Mekons are a British band formed in the late 1970s as an art collective. They are one of the longest-running and most prolific of the first-wave British punk rock bands.
The band's style has evolved over time to incorporate aspects of ...
- Where Were You? (2:42)
#
The Jam
The Jam were an English mod revival/ punk rock band formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, Surrey. They released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 198 ...
-
When You're Young (3:12)
#
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...
-
Night Rally (2:44)
#
Dalek I
Dalek I Love You were a synthpop group from the Wirral, England. At various points in their existence, the band was also known as Dalek I. Record executives at Phonogram Records, Phonogram shortened the band's name without telling them for t ...
- The World (2:28)
#
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. T ...
- Sleeping Gas (Zoo Version) (4:39)
#
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Wirral Peninsula, Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboar ...
-
Electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...
(3:34)
#
The Human League
The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album ''Dare' ...
-
Being Boiled (3:51)
#
Wire
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
-
I Am the Fly (3:08)
#
Gang Of Four
The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
-
Damaged Goods
Damaged goods or Damaged Goods may refer to:
* Goods that have been damaged, where goods are items that satisfy human wants and provide utility
* A person considered to be less than perfect psychologically, as a result of a traumatic experience ...
(3:29)
References
External links
*
* {{IMDb title, 1137436
TimesOnlineThe Guardian
2009 films
British crime drama films
2009 crime drama films
British sports drama films
British association football films
Films set in England
Films set in 1979
2000s sports drama films
2000s English-language films
Films directed by Pat Holden
2000s British films