Interestingly, the film deals with an aspect of gang culture which is often overlooked; that is, pressures to fit in among the upper classes rather than in areas of poverty. This time, however, the threatening hijinks which ensue among the club members have the added menace of the fact that, should any real trouble arise, daddy and the old boys network will surely bail one out. It's an intoxicating mix.
Yet with a script that lacks any really vicious political satire, what is left is that these young men wind up playing the worst stereotypes of themselves. And all are capable of far better performances. From Booth's understated roles in the BBC adaptations Christopher and His Kind and Great Expectations to Irons' blustering Edward IV and Fox's playful, doomed Edwin Drood, the cast have asserted their acting credentials long before this film. However, despite this comes the reviews containing the ever-present whine which accompanies the success of actor from a higher class; that acting is becoming a career only for the rich, that aspiring thespians from a more modest background are put off by the high financial risk of the industry. This is a problem, but not one which should be addressed whilst discussing a film adapted from a play named Posh.
