Quadrophenia

1979 "A Way of Life"
7.2| 2h0m| R| en| More Info
Released: 14 September 1979 Released
Producted By: Polytel
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Based on the 1973 rock opera album of the same name by The Who, this is the story of 60s teenager Jimmy. At work he slaves in a dead-end job. While after, he shops for tailored suits and rides his scooter as part of the London Mod scene.

... View More
Stream Online

Stream with Max

Director

Producted By

Polytel

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime. Watch Now

Trailers & Images

Reviews

Develiker terrible... so disappointed.
Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable
BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See
Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
tomgillespie2002 I knew little to nothing about the 'mods' and 'rockers' of Swinging Sixties London and the fierce rivalry that bristled between them before going into the film, but Quadrophenia, Franc Roddam's film based on The Who's rock opera of the same name, completely immerses the viewer in their world. The images I tend to conjure of this important era in Britain's history is that of The Beatles running from a screaming crowd of ecstatic girls in A Hard Day's Night (1964). While Richard Lester's film has the fortune of being made at the time this movement was thriving, it's light-hearted fare, albeit a terrific one.Quadrophenia doesn't pull its punches, and portrays the mods, in particular the young, alienated Jimmy (Phil Daniels) in all of their rough-and-tumble, amphetamine-popping glory. Adorned in the latest fashion and riding around London on his customised scooter, Jimmy funds his lifestyle by begrudgingly working as a post room boy for the kind of stiff-upper-lipped types he loathes. Outside of his job, he is a living nightmare for his parents, constantly out all hours listening to rock music with his friends and popping blue uppers to keep him on edge.He is romantically invested in Steph (Leslie Ash), who is currently involved with another chap, but after he does finally sleep with her, he discovers that the experience didn't have the same lasting effect it did on him. Jimmy also learns that his friend Kevin (Ray Winstone), fresh out of the army, is a rocker and therefore an enemy. A sense of alienation builds inside of the protagonist, with only the sense of belonging within the gang and cheap drugs to help drag him through his depression. It all builds up to a visit to Brighton where, along with super-cool mod Ace Face (Sting), meet up for a huge brawl with a gang of rockers.Backed by a terrific soundtrack from The Who, Quadrophenia recreates a fashion craze now long-gone, and does so convincingly with a real sense of time and place. Jimmy and his gang are all working-class, slumping through dead-end jobs to fund their lifestyle in spite of their humble upbringings, infusing the film with a sense of social- awareness. The group show no desire whatsoever to fit in the social structure of a society they feel is unfair, with Jimmy in particular feeling left hung out to dry. But the most impressive aspect of the film is the young Phil Daniels as the raging tearaway whose character often treads dangerously close to being plain loathsome. He plays the role with an irresistible charm and swagger that make him entirely sympathetic. An underrated cult gem.
LeonLouisRicci All Things Considered, this was not an Easy Thing to Pull Off. It was made "out of time", Fifteen Years after the Considered Events. Unlike say, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), or The Wild One (1953), and more like American Graffiti (1973). But the Filmmakers Managed it quite well and the Result is this Cult Movie, an Excellent Homage to the Pop Cultural Scene in Britain circa 1965.The Movie has an Unassuming, Unintrusive Style that is Never Heavy Handed and it is a Delight to Watch as this Time Warp is Laid Out in an Obvious Labour of Love. It is Distinctively British and the Central Theme of the Mods vs Rockers might Elude some who are not Familiar with, or Involved in Youth Movements and Music Influences.But the Driving Force is Universal and Timeless. Teenage Angst, Rebellion, and Alienation is Felt by Everyone, Everywhere. The Joy here is the Affection for those who Identify with the Characters, or the Peek at a Foreign Face of a Familiar Theme.The Lead Performance of Jimmy is Spot On, and the rest of the Cast does a Fine Job. The Who Songs from the Double LP of the Same Name are Welcome if Inserted Uneasily on Occasion and the Songs that Play in the Film by Phil Spector and Other Post Elvis Top Forty Hits are used to Elicit Time and Place Effectively.Overall it is a Fine Dramatic Representation of Teen Gangs, Disenfranchised Youth, Generational Gaps, and Coming of Age Situations. A Stunning Accomplishment from the Director and Everyone Involved in this Low-Budget, but Engaging and Enduring Film.
MartinHafer "Quadrophenia" is a movie that is based in part on the album of the same name by The Who. It also was co-written by Pete Townshend and some of the executive producers included the four members of the band. It's set in the early-mid 1960s in England and concerns Jimmy and his group of 'Mod' friends. The Mods were well before my time but apparently they liked to dress stylishly, drive mopeds and tended towards R&B instead of popular rock 'n roll. Also, the Mods in this film are mostly angry, directionless and seem in many ways like precursors to the punks of the 1970s--though with a much greater fashion sense. Plus, I really cannot imagine punks riding around in motor scooters. But, they both seemed to share a love of violence, drugs and anger.As far as the plot goes, the film is much like the Mods--rather directionless. This isn't a complaint and the film deliberately chose to show the lack of structure and anger of the Mods. For the most part, these teens drink, fight, take amphetamines, listen to music and stay up all night. Jimmy seems to be among the angriest and most likely to get himself killed. Later in the film, Jimmy and his blokes head to Brighton for a holiday and mayhem ensues. Exactly what happens, you'll need to see for yourself.As I said above, how much you like the film will depend a lot on you. If you grew up at the same time and place as these hooligans, then perhaps you'll have a feeling of nostalgia watching it. As for me, although the film was well made, it was also unpleasant and I got a bit tired of all the pointlessly angry and disaffected youth. It just wasn't my thing and it's hard to love a film where you cannot stand any of the characters.A few final observations: I don't think it was unintentional that the leading man, Jimmy, sure looked quite a bit like Townshend. The film sure could have used captions. I saw it on HULU and had to really pay attention to get what they were saying due to the accents. There's also a bit of male frontal nudity--though considering all the violence and anger, I doubt if it's a film you'd show your mom or your kids! Also, the music was very nice--the best part of the film, really.
Jackson Booth-Millard I should say that the title is based on the name of the song by the band The Who, and they are a band that the lead character of this film likes, anyway, the reason I wanted to see this was purely because of the good looking cast list. Basically, set in 1965, London, Jimmy Cooper (Blur - Parklife's Phil Daniels) is a young man who lives a near reclusive life when it comes to his parents, his job as a mail room worker for an advertising company, and being part of regular society in general. He escapes what he considers the boring side of life by hanging out his fellow Mod teenage pals, including Dave (Mark Wingett), Chalky (Collision's Philip Davis) and Spider (Gary Shail), and they have their rivals, in the gang the Rockers led by Kevin (Nil by Mouth's Ray Winstone). The rivalry between the Mod and the Rockers comes a big head on a bank holiday on the seasides of Brighton when battles and rioting spread, and the police are out to catch all involved in whatever way. After "quickie" sex with long time crush Steph (Men Behaving Badly's Leslie Ash) in an alleyway, Jimmy does end up caught and arrested by the police, alongside the Mod he calls Ace Face (introducing singer Sting), and he gets fined £50, while his companion is fined £75 and mocking the court magistrate. Jimmy returns to London and becomes highly depressed, his mother throws him out for stashing amphetamine pills, he quits his job, spending his last payment on more pills, and he finds out Steph is now the girlfriend Dave. After fighting with Dave, getting a definite from Steph, and his treasured Lambretta scooter ruined in a road accident, Jimmy travels by train back to Brighton, and he is devastated to see that Ace Face is a hotel bellboy, and in the end he decides to finally end his life by driving near a high cliff, and eventually driving the stolen scooter off the edge. Also starring Toyah Willcox as Monkey, Michael Elphick as Father, Timothy Spall as Projectionist and EastEnders' Nasty Nick actor John Altman as John. Daniels as the young man with the love for 60's rock music, and Sting in his acting debut, along with the rest of the cast of young then rising stars in the British film and television industry, do really well, it is fascinating to see them all younger and making their mark for the rest of their future careers, as for the film itself it is realistic in terms of the time period, it has funny moments, it is filled with some dramatic moments, and it is certainly an interesting social drama. Very good!