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The Long Good Friday

Name: The Long Good Friday
Director: John Mackenzie
Released: 1980
Duration: 114 min

Representation Score

1.9/10

Minimal

1980

Director

John Mackenzie

Runtime

114 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Long Good Friday is a gritty, realistic crime drama that emphasizes socio-political tension over diverse representation. Although it lacks LGBTQ+ or disabled characters, it excels in exploring the complexities of ethnic and political conflict through the lens of the Irish diaspora. The film's strength lies in its cultural critique, deconstructing the shift from criminal enterprise to property development. It portrays the pursuit of institutional respectability as a facade for ongoing corruption rather than a moral advancement. Ultimately, the film examines the friction between systems. It highlights the volatility of political identity and the intersection of organized crime and capitalism, rather than upholding traditional social hierarchies.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Long Good Friday have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any LGBTQ+ characters or explore non-straight identities. The world presented is strictly focused on heterosexual relationships.

How does The Long Good Friday portray gender?

Limited

The story is primarily driven by male characters and traditional masculine roles. Female characters are limited to supporting, domestic roles that reinforce conventional gender divisions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Long Good Friday?

Limited

The cast is mainly white, depicting the 1970s London underworld. However, it offers detailed insights into the Irish community and the political conflicts during 'The Troubles'.

How does The Long Good Friday represent religion and culture?

Good

The film provides a sophisticated critique of corporate capitalism and questions the distinction between legitimate business and criminal activity. It challenges the sanctity of Western institutions.

Does The Long Good Friday include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or hidden disabilities depicted in the film. Characters with disabilities are not used as part of the narrative.

Present on Screen

Offers a nuanced exploration of the Irish diaspora and the political tensions surrounding 'The Troubles'.
Provides a sophisticated critique of the intersection between organized crime and corporate capitalism.
Challenges the sanctity of traditional Western institutions by portraying state and legal authority as corrupt.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight identities.
Features a predominantly white cast with minimal racial and ethnic diversity.
Reinforces conventional gender roles by limiting female characters to supporting, domestic roles.

Official Synopsis

In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand, a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion.

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