The opening shot is a phone recording of a group of people who we presume are just out of school due to the mise-en-scene, they are in uniform where as the older male is wearing a tracksuit. This itself carries connotations/stereotypical views of a lower class possible school drop out. We next witness a boy in uniform getting beaten up shown on a camera phone due to the low quality shaky image. Within the last couple years happy slapping has been a huge issue within the younger generation.
This then cuts to an Ariel view of a man pulling up to the house in a car. As he enters we are aware of digetic music coming from upstairs. We next see the son walking downstairs, but as soon as he spots his dad he walks back up. During these close-up shots we can only see the boy’s feet, which indicates he is hiding something or is afraid of his dad. The dad next walks into the kitchen and finds they are running low on milk, so he attempts to ask his son in which he gets no response partially because of the music. So he decides to go himself.
We track the dad as he walks to the shop using a series of parallel shots cutting from a mid-shot of the dad walking through the suburban area; this suddenly cuts to a mobile recording of a group of teenagers outside a corner shop harassing passers by. The only gender which is clearly apparent within the film is the male. We do not see a female character present however we do see a few within the gang but as their attire is the same as the boys they are perceived in a masculine way. Instantly we can recognise something is about to occur between the dad and gang. Sound also plays an important part within this scene as it along with camera builds a sense of tension. When we are tracking the dad the only noise heard is the diegetic noise of birds and footsteps but as we switch we can hear beat boxing as well as dialogue. The dialogue used is typically stereotyped towards the younger generation although some will disagree with this and say it just used within gang culture. From the technical codes we become aware of the directors rationale, to highlight the cultural and generation differences within society today.
Once the dad approaches the shop. The camera alternates between the phones recording and the celluloid camera, from which we can see the gang are giving him trouble but he ignores them and goes into the shop. As he is paying the youths start banging on the window. Automatically similarly as earlier we become aware this isn’t the end of the confrontation. When the dad leaves the shop he drops the milk, as he goes to pick it up the gang leader kicks him and spits on him. The dad is able to quickly pick himself up and head home. Once again we track him back using a series of close-up shots and wide-shots not only to show the dads reaction but it also enables the audience to be manipulated into his situation but it also helps us to see the gang following behind. Whilst he is walking he gets flashbacks to the encounter that just happened. As he walks into his front door we can still see the gang as they walk around the corner.
The youths station themselves directly outside his house. A the dad walks in we notice the son sitting o the sofa looking anxious, this reinforces the earlier scene were he is afraid to show his face, but finally the dad realises the same boys that attacked him did the same. But instead of going out to have a go he hypocritically says ‘you’re grown up, you have to stand up for yourself’.
As both father and son wait anxiously, the mixture of camera (close-ups and mid-shots) and editing convey this. The group now start throwing stones at the window, which angers the boy so much he jumps up but as he does the dad restrains him. This is the closest they have been the entire film. Through the proxemic’s we can identify that they are not close. We also become aware of the fact a mother is absent and maybe this is why there not close and also highlights possible issues such as divorce or death. This is also showing class and status as the boy clearly has courage than his dad. Eventually the father feels the pressure to be the typical‘Man of the house’ and stand up to the bullies. Close-up shots track the father as he’s about to go outside, but soon the editorial pace slows and the boy realises his dad is having a moment of weakness whilst he attempts to confront the gang but ends up being pushed aside by his son. The young boy then storms out the house and takes his own revenge. He grabs a bat and quick transitions show him beating the team leader. Once its over he drops the bat in front of his dad as he feels let down. His dad is left ashamed because his son did the job his dad should of done. As the dad makes his way back into the house we cut to an Ariel view used earlier in the film as the dad arrives home. Several people start leaving their houses and a few people on bikes which is ironic as through out the film there has been a lack of community including the police.
