Sket analysis

Sket is an urban retribution thriller film set in East London which is an extreme and controversial look at the world of girl gangs. The director and writer Nirpal Bhogal states that he wanted to make a film for gang members rather than about them showing a realistic view of gang members lifestyle towards the public. Though it may seem to show a negative representation of gang members who are abbusive and violent, the film reveals backstories for each of the characters revealing a reason for their anger which the director hoped to create sympathy from the viewers. The characters are representation of real life gang members which viewers may not of been able to sympathise with in the past and may change peoples opinions of. As the story line unravels the aggressive gang members appearance is scratched away and fragile states are revealed as girls who have had noone and who have built up this posteria in order to survive within the rough areas of London.
Stereotypes of youths within the riots are highlighted throughout the film with the characters actions and mannerisms. The four girls are always seen together within a gang wearing hoodys and similar clothing throughout the film showing that similar to Jimmy and the mods within Quadraphinia youths like to feel part of a culture by dressing the same. The mannerism of speach and body language also represent typical representation of youths for example banging into passers by or beating people up and using language such as "sket" and "slut." These mannerism could be represented in order to set the scene of youths similar to those interviewed during the riots, which the audience are use to yet the backstory of the film helps indicate why youths may do these things showing their actions sympathetically and in a less sceptical positive light. The film gives a chance to show answers for behaviour given and go against the reasons behind these actions rather then what was thought that the youths are just bad people.

Throughout the film footage is rarely shown of police or authorital figures. This could be an indication that they are not really present within a gang members world and are seen to not be able to do anything. This is shown further when Kayla is asked if she has rang the police and she states "can they do anything?" which shows a negetive representation of the police as a group which youths feel do not do anything when people go against society so there is no real reason or threat why they can't go against society. This links in with the London riots as people took the opportunity to loot simply because they could and they felt no consequences would be given to them by going against society and breaking the law.