THE RIOT CLUB

Basically…

Miles (Max Irons) and Alistair (Sam Clafin), two freshers at Oxford University, are invited to join the infamous Riot Club –a group of boys who are brought together through wealth, privilege and their upper class status. But as the institution’s 'dining club' go all out to live up to their reputation of foul debauchery they take things too far.

In other words…

Rich boys who think they rule the world need to wake up. 

The main men and leading ladies…

Clafin, yes the smarmy guy from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, is even less likable here. We’re captured by his desire not to get places simply because of his brother’s name, but he loses our empathy when he abuses that position. Irons (The Host and Red Riding Hood) however, maintains our ability to at least like one character but that’s mainly because of his love story, not his backbone.

In the chair…

Danish director Lone Scherfig (An Education and One Day) received a huge boost after a successful world premier at the Toronto Film Festival when the rights were taken to show the film in America – a much bigger audience than first anticipated. 

So…? 

Based on the novel and stage play Posh by Laura Wade, this is as easy on the eye for the female viewers as it is uncomfortable on the eye at the same time. The second half of the movie takes place in one location – a small family run pub-restaurant in the middle of nowhere – and it’s at this point it begins to feel more like a stage production. It’s witty and ambitious but the unrestrained, self indulgent immoral behaviour really gets under your skin. The characters are repulsive - their expensive hair products, perfectly measured tailcoats and overpowering sense of entitlement don’t make you jealous at all – instead you’d love nothing more than to smash the glasses they're drinking from across their smug faces. But despite all of this you’re still not compelled to switch off. It was important to establish a rapport with at least one character, and Miles’ relationship with a typically working class girl keeps us on his side. This is chilling insight into the dark side of privilege and you’ll enjoy everything that’s coming to them.

Worth the money?

Only because it will prevent you from punching the TV screen, but if you have self control leave it for when it comes on the television.