I like Combo - Shocker

[Morell™]

I just watched this again for the second time last night. I just realised that although he's despicable and cowardly I really like Combo.

***Spoiler***

I see so many likeable qualities in him it's disturbing. We get to see his loyalty as a friend. His pride in his country. Passion in his love for Lol. Remorse for verbal and physical attacks on Milky a protective nature over Shaun.We also get to see a sensitive sad side to him in his vulnerability to Lols rejection and jealousy towards Milky's idilic familly life.

I wonder is this deliberate on the Part of Shane and Stephen Graham or am I just misguided? Did anyone else feel this?

[marksherbert]

I know what you mean mate. Despite the despicability of a lot of Combo's actions and words, there is a humanity inherent in him which isn't difficult to pick out (thanks to Stephen Graham's brilliant performance).

I think this has to be deliberate to show that there is always hope and that everyone has redeeming qualities regardless of their disgusting ones.

[carolyn]

I think Stephen Graham may get a BAFTA for this. But I think Combo may need counselling.

Carolyn x

[jtrodreigez]

So Dave number 2 is it ok for us to know what you and donk were asked your opinion on for the film as i noticed it seemed a lot of scenes could have gone other ways so it'd be nice to know what Shane was considering.

pm me if you dont want to whack it up here and sorry if its all be said already im a bit slow.

[Dazza]

I can see what your saying about Combo. Shane has an amazing talent at making you like and dislike a charecter, you only have to look at Morrell in ARFRB one minute you like him, then feel sorry for him, hate him, then feel sorry for him again and then hate him. It really is an amazing way Shane puts all these elements and sides into his charecters and all though Combo is a right asshole he does have the good qualities you mention.

Edit: If Steve Graham doesnt get awarded for his role then no one should he was on fire and amazing playing Combo. The Sun had a big thing in it where it said Liverpool now have two gods by the name of Stevie G Gerrard & Graham.

[marksherbert]

jtrodreigez said:

So Dave number 2 is it ok for us to know what you and donk were asked your opinion on for the film as i noticed it seemed a lot of scenes could have gone other ways so it'd be nice to know what Shane was considering.

pm me if you dont want to whack it up here and sorry if its all be said already im a bit slow.

*SPOILER*
That's cool JT, it's been over a year now though so my memory is a little bit dusty. I remember some specific scenes that weren't in the final edit, including one where Shaun went into a chip shop (and Shane was behind the counter like in ARFRB), and on coming out he gets bullied again by Harvey. Woody comes and 'saves' him, and gives Harvey some stick back. I also remember the ending being different, with Milky coming and sitting alongside Shaun at the end (to show he survived the beating, which is covered in the ending now when Shaun's Mum says to Shaun that Milky will be fine). The opening montage wasn't in that cut either.

What was cut though, despite still being entertaining, was no doubt just excess fat, and all of the really important scenes shone out in both that original edit and the theatrical edit.

If you have any more specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[jill]

Personally, I wouldn't say Combo's likable. He's human for sure and thanks to Stephen Graham's performance, we get a degree of insight into what might have made him who he is, which save's him from being a monster. But his loyalty only extends to people who share his views, a 'protector' wouldn't manipulate a child or expose him/her to that sort of violence and he doesn't so much love England as love an idea about England and Englishness that is racist, exclusionary and pernicious.

[Morell™]

Good points Jill.
Just out of interest, have you see TIE more than once? I saw it at the Film festival on London ages ago and again yesterday. I'd say I would have agreed with you after my first look but following the second viewing I seem to see more of the good qualities that I have mentioned above. Hes obviously a bad egg but after viewing 2 he is so multifaceted like Dazza says he has that Morell factor of Love him/Hate him at any moment (although essentially still a nasty bugger).

Test out my when you get to see it again (not saying I'm right though!)

[jill]

I see where you're coming from Morrel....like you say he is multidimensional, not a unidimensional monster. I think we (collectively) have had a conversation about this before. But ultimately, if you put yourself in Sandhu or Milky's shoes, it's hard to see what there is to like?

Edit: Just saw it again for the fourth time tonight...like it more and more with every viewing.

[RydCook]

I don't particularly like him. But I DO feel sorry for him, very much so. I mean surely he could be a real nice guy if he wasn't so misled. But yeah you can see he's human, as other people said, he's not just some evil monster, which i think is excellent. Said it before but i love the scene with him and Lol, superbly acted, and very affecting for me. His character is very skillfully crafted from the masterful acting and directing at work here. Also the fact that Combo is human, makes him all the more scarier, because its real. Its easy to not be scared of a plain old monster, just plain evil is sometimes laughable. But the fact that people CAN become like combo is scary.

[kunstler]

I knew a skin like Combo, he's in iraq right now. If you could strip him of the racist mechanism he would be the most beautiful man in the world. its like his parents implanted this monster in him. being on the receing end of racism is just as unfair as being a racist and being made that way as a child. This guy I knew made me cry a lot with his stories of how his dad and ma beat him as a child and talked badly about non-white people in front of him. its like a pair in the usa called prussian blue. Those kids kind of dont have a say in how they are being promoted.

The dude who played combo must have had a hard time doing a few of those scenes. Isn't he black? The scene where he beats milky makes me cry. i cried for milky and combo. There are lots of people in my city in the deep south of america who are like combo. The triple K held an event in the center of my city last sunday. People are complacent and no one said anything. Except for me.

[Morell™]

It's good to hear what people think. Can't say much more if you've seen it four times Jill. I identify wilth Milky the most in this film BTW as a 'Brown gentleman' myself
so it's not like I am not personally offended by Combo.
Well done on standong up against the triple K dropping in Kunstler!

[marksherbert]

jill said:

I But ultimately, if you put yourself in Sandhu or Milky's shoes, it's hard to see what there is to like?

*SPOILERS*

Milky couldn't make his mind up about Combo either. There was animosity between the two for the most of the film, but when Combo bought the weed, Milky even seemed to have changed his mind about him, and up to the beating they were getting on fine.

P.s. sorry about not putting the spoiler warning on before, cheers Dave.

[jtrodreigez]

hahahahaha nice one morell i forgot that line.



brown gentleman!

I think Shimmy says more throughout this film with his eyes and looks than words, the look he gives combo right at the start with the wog comment, classic.

[jill]

marksherbert said:

jill said:

I But ultimately, if you put yourself in Sandhu or Milky's shoes, it's hard to see what there is to like?

*SPOILERS*

Milky couldn't make his mind up about Combo either. There was animosity between the two for the most of the film, but when Combo bought the weed, Milky even seemed to have changed his mind about him, and up to the beating they were getting on fine.

P.s. sorry about not putting the spoiler warning on before, cheers Dave.

SPOILER

Sure, people can be taken in by Combos or pulled into that orbit-that's sort of the point of the film isn't it? My point was that I don't see how knowing what we know about him, he could be thought 'likeable.' The 'redeeming' features others have alluded to, don't seem to me to be redeeming at all or if they are they evoke some understanding, but not empathy or affection.

It's odd isn't it-Milky get drawn into that situation because he's temporarily able to 'forget' all he knows about Combo, or suspend his better judgment- on the promise of a bit of a party, but the audience pretty much sees that beating coming....