20 Cult British Films You Need To See Before You Die

14. Quadrophenia (1979)

Set in the 1960s Mods versus Rockers era, a young lad named Jimmy hates his boring job and his disapproving, fuddy duddy parents. He is permanently hopped up on speed pills and lives for night time when he can ride around with his Mod compadres and skirmish with Rockers. A Bank Holiday weekend gives the Mods and the Rockers ample scope to slug it out in sunny Brighton. Back home in London, Jimmy's dependence on pills deepens and his parents kick him out of the house. He quits his job and wanders around London trying to relive the Mod glory days, but this exercise merely leads him to the clifftop of Beachy Head. Accompanied by the music from the rock opera album by The Who, Quadrophenia, as well as having an awesome soundtrack, also features a bevy of exciting and talented then-young British actors such as Phil Daniels (in the role of Jimmy) Ray Winstone, Leslie Ash and Sting. Jimmy's journey as a callow youth who has to accept that life has a certain level of mundanity to it and things can't be all raucous parties and gatherings is absorbing. And there are constant references to The Who throughout which is a nice gesture.