I don't know much about English Cinema, but I thought this was fantastic. Supposedly it painted a pretty realistic picture of skinheads at the time, but I can't vouch for that; however, it seemed pretty realistic to me. It showed vulnerability and sensitivity, along with anger, frustration and racism.
The main actor, only 13 yrs old and having never acted before = amazing.
Cinematography = quiet and beautiful, even in the darker moments.
Also, the ending is captivating.
Go see this film.