The Riot Club – reviews of ‘darkly funny’ class drama
‘Brilliantly acted’ film adaptation of Posh reveals how rich boys are groomed for power
What you need to know
British drama The Riot Club is released in UK cinemas today. The film, directed by Lone Scherfig (An Education) and written by Laura Wade, is based on Wade’s satirical 2010 play Posh.
The story follows two upper-class Oxford freshers, Alistair and Miles, who are invited to join the Bullingdon-style Riot Club, but quickly discover the group’s debauched antics can get dangerously out of hand. Stars Max Irons, Sam Claflin, Douglas Booth and Freddie Fox.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What the critics like
Laura Wade, adapting her own hit play, has written a “darkly funny, colossally unflattering send-up of The Bullingdon Club”, says Cath Clarke in Time Out. It’s brilliantly acted by a Brit pack of young actors, and more than just mocking posh boys, it reminds us that the Riot Club is all part of grooming these boys for power.
This hilarious film is “perfectly cast in its main roles,” says Tim Robey in the Daily Telegraph. This whole business could have been an emotional vacuum, but Claflin, and a hugely impressive Irons, sock it about like opening batsmen who know exactly what they're doing.
Brits might object to such an enraging portrayal, which veers between salacious and cynical, but “Scherfig’s unique perspective makes her a smart choice to handle this material”, says Peter Debruge in Variety. As a Danish woman she approaches the milieu with shrewd anthropological wit, and an expert grasp of tension and tone as the club’s initial allure is replaced by anxiety and disgust.
What they don’t like
Ultimately, though, “it’s the very act of granting the play the big-screen treatment which most muzzles Posh's bite,” says Catherine Shoard in The Guardian. Stick anyone pretty in close-up, (especially familiar faces with a fan base) and chances are you'll root for them.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - March 16, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - pointed commentary, Haiti in trouble, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilarious cartoons about the RNC's MAGA takeover
Cartoons Artists take on RNC funding, Lara Trump, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump's presidential run: a bad bet for Republicans?
Talking Point The GOP is taking a 'big gamble' on former president's 2024 White House bid
By The Week UK Published
-
Entangled Pasts: Art, Colonialism and Change review – an 'ambitious' and 'well meaning' exhibition
The Week Recommends The exhibition examines works of the African diaspora and historic links to colonialism
By The Week UK Published
-
The Hills of California review: 'ambitious, substantial and intriguing' play
The Week Recommends Jez Butterworth's 'ambitions are as large as ever', but does the play compare to his previous works?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cute review: an 'unsettling' yet 'highly seductive' exhibition
The Week Recommends The concept of cuteness is explored in full force at this Somerset House show
By The Week UK Published
-
Plaza Suite: Sarah Jessica Parker is 'terrific entertainment'
The Week Recommends Sex and the City star plays against type in London's hottest ticket at the Savoy Theatre
By The Week Staff Published
-
Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay review: luxury service with a welcoming mood
The Week Recommends Beautiful wine and food only enhanced by impeccable service
By Neil Davey Published
-
Pauline Boty: A Portrait exhibition review
The Week Recommends The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see the work of a "largely forgotten" British artist up close.
By The Week UK Published
-
Manon review: Royal Ballet raises the bar with superb cast
The Week Recommends 'Thrilling, grown-up entertainment' for ballet lovers
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Chaucer Here and Now' at the Bodleian Libraries
The Week Recommends The influence of the so-called 'father of English literature' is tracked throughout the centuries in this 'small but special' exhibition
By The Week UK Published