Critic Reviews

• Nigel Floyd, Time Out

  Love's second movie about hooligans marks a quantum leap forward from the messy, senseless violence of 'The Football Factory'.

• Don Groves, sbs.com.au

  The tribal violence of the soccer hooligan.

• Mike Edwards, What Culture

  A watchable, but disappointing, movie that brings nothing new to the serious topic it addresses.

• Paul Fairclough, Little White Lies

  The Firm is hardly calculated to convert those who find Love's work brash, clichéd and empty, but there's a good deal of warmth and humour here.

• Wendy Ide, Times [UK]

  While it doesn't exactly break new ground thematically, this is Love's most accomplished film to date. Like the terrace heroes who are its subjects, it's as good-looking and stylish as it is dangerously seductive.

• Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

  Love's films have, in the past, brought me out in a rash - but this one is watchable. It's well made; there's a persistent and welcome undercurrent of humour in the script that reminded me of Love's sparky debut, Goodbye Charlie Bright,

• Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

  The odd thing is that Love's version feels so bright and breezy, as if he's cosying back up to a wider audience who were turned off by Outlaw's grimy nihilism. If that's the case, it's a wacky choice of subject, but the effort's appreciated.

• Andrew O'Hagan, This is London

  The film is covered in talent, including Love's, of the sort that makes you look forward to the next thing they do. Here, you feel they have a lot to climb over, but there are scenes where the attempt to get close to something real is powerfully inspired.

• Simon Reynolds, Digital Spy

  It's all ridiculously clichéd and over the top, yet once you give up taking it seriously and surrender to its relentless blokeishness, The Firm proves to be an enjoyable Shane Meadows-lite ride with a bit of wideboy charm.

• Elliott Noble, Sky Movies

  Love's film is ultimately pointless, having nothing new to say on the issues of male bonding, acceptance and tribalism.

• Nigel Floyd, Filmstar Magazine

  Love seems happier with his affectionate re-creation of the early '80s than with exploring the contradictions at the heart of this subculture.

• Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]

  A redundant compendium of blokeish cliches.

• David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]

  While The Firm is slick, evocative and very violent, Love supplies yet further proof that hooligan movies have gone about as far as they can.

• , Sun Online

  Putdowns such as "You couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat" crackle throughout, fun is poked at Eighties fashion and the characters feel real.

• Nigel Andrews, Financial Times

  A sleek, if superfluous, remake.

• Neil Norman, Daily Express

  The best things about this are spanking dialogue and razor-sharp slang and the plethora of new faces it introduces to the screen. But as far as the impact is concerned Love has bottled out.

• Robert Hanks, Independent

  Given that the original's on DVD, Love's done hooliganism, and the plot gets shut down just when it's getting interesting: why?

• Matthew Turner, ViewLondon

  The Firm is never less than watchable, thanks to some amusing dialogue and strong performances from its two leads, but there's nothing here to mark it out from other hooligan dramas.

• Robbie Collin, News of the World

  This umpteenth take on the same old story is a pretty polished effort from writer-director Nick Love, you need a lot more than a snazzy soundtrack and Jimmy Savile's tracksuit collection to make it worth an unqualified thumbs-up.

• Alistair Harkness, Scotsman

  Love, a visual stylist with nothing original to say, delivers plenty of sickening violence, but softens the outcome - and the point - with a sentimental, redemptive ending.

Read all 20 critic reviews