Riff-Raff
1991 · Movie · 95 min · ★ 6.7 · 85% critics
After leaving prison, a man starts over on a London construction site where harsh conditions and hidden identities are part of daily life. With help from coworkers, he finds a place to stay and begins building a new routine, then connects with a young Irish woman chasing her dream of becoming a singer.
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Details
- Years
- 1991
- Release date
- 1991-06-21
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 85/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (116 votes)
About
If you like grounded, working-class dramas about survival, friendship, and fragile hope, this fits well, especially if you enjoyed High Hopes or The Navigators; Not for you if you want fast action or upbeat escapism.
Pros: gritty working-class realism; humane character moments; grounded London setting | Cons: bleak tone; slow-burn pacing; limited plot surprises
Themes
- pop singer
- working class
- poverty
- construction worker
Awards & recognition
- European Film Award — Best Film · 1991
- European Film Award — Best Film · 1991 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1991 · nominated
Cast & crew
Robert Carlyle
as Stevie
Emer McCourt
as Susan
- GM
George Moss
as Mo
- JC
Jimmy Coleman
as Shem
Ricky Tomlinson
as Larry
- DF
David Finch
as Kevin
Peter Mullan
as Jake
- RB
Richard Belgrave
as Kojo
- AS
Ade Sapara
as Fiaman
- DY
Derek Young
as Desmonde
Directed by Ken Loach