Shane Meadows' "Twenty Four Seven" is a sporting drama with a difference. In place of a heartwarming story about an individual or team defeating the odds, there exists a simple tale of the world-weary former boxer, Alan Darcy (Bob Hoskins), who strives to help get kids off the streets and into the ring to build self-esteem, confidence, and a positive mindset. "Twenty-Four Seven" is all about channeling the aggression of disaffected young people growing up in a deprived and claustrophobic environment, and its black and white footage perfectly encapsulates the ennui of many working-class areas in '90s Britain. It's a world without color, where a lack of purpose and drive has left a generation struggling to get out of bed and fight for opportunities in life.
Hoskins' character opens a gym and teaches the lads how to stand their ground and win respect in a world that doesn't want them to succeed. It's gritty and hard-hitting stuff, and Meadows pulls no punches on his feature film debut. In a 1998 interview, Meadows credits the success of his short film, "Where's The Money, Ronnie?" as the reason the producers of "Twenty Four Seven" trusted him enough to make a successful feature-length movie in black and white. "Twenty-Four Seven" ends in tragedy but before it does, it sows the seeds of hope with the message that when the world defines you as a nobody, it's up to you to be a somebody.
