66 Essential British Films To Take Your Mind Off The World Cup

46. Heartlands (2002)

Heartlands is another film like The Scouting Book For Boys, which emerged from the Shane Meadows "stable". It was directed by Damien O'Donnell from an original script by Meadows' long-time collaborator Paul Fraser. Heartlands is a funny and moving road movie following hapless newsagent Colin: portrayed by Michael Sheen. Colin embarks on a moped trek to Blackpool to win back his wife who has run off with the captain of the dart team but like any good road movie Colin instead discovers himself along the way.

45. Life Is Sweet (1990)

Life is Sweet was Mike Leigh's first film of the 90's and was the beginning of a three film run which would continue with Naked and Secrets and Lies, and propel him to international acclaim. Packed with Leigh regulars such as Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent and Timothy Spall, Life is Sweet is another examination of the tensions between the classes, played out within the dynamic of a divided suburban family.

44. 24 Hour Party People (2002)

Steve Coogan channels Tony Wilson to great effect in Michael Winterbottom's Manchester based biopic. 24 Hour Party People marked the first collaboration between Coogan and Winterbottom, a creative relationship that would lead to A Cock and Bull Story and most recently The Trip series. Watching 24 Hour Party People now it is easy to see how this partnership has developed. Coogan is a perfect fit for Winterbottom's reportage-based improvisational style and brings the Manchester impresario to life by interpretation rather than imitation.