Themes: Misfits and Outsiders, Ladder to the Top, Journey of Self-Discovery
Main Cast: Nonso Anozie, Natalie Press, Leo Gregory, Tamer Hassan, Linda Bassett
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 108 minutes
Plot
Loosely based on a true story, director Jon S. Baird's Cass traces the evolution of one individual from an infant with slim prospects to one of the most respected and feared individuals in the United Kingdom. Nonso Alonzie stars as the title character, who begins life as a Jamaican baby bereft of his parents, but promptly witnesses his fate and future turn an unexpected corner with his adoption by an elderly Caucasian couple. Pummeled mercilessly and bullied with racist taunts as a boy, Cass instinctively takes matters into his own hands and thus discovers a source of power and control, in violent action, that he never knew he possessed. Eventually, however, this path comes back to bite him via a assassination attempt against him, that is - mercifully - unsuccessful. In time, Cass reaches a fork in the road, and must choose between continuing to embrace the violence that has shaped and colored his life, or opting for more controlled and thoughtful approach to conflict. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Peter Wight - Chambers, Cecil; Gavin Brocker - Prentice; Paul Kaye - CP; Bronson Webb - Assassin; Carl Fairweather - Martin; Lorraine Stanley - Linda; Azaria Omaboe - Baby Georgie; Verelle Roberts - Young Cass; Rorry Jennings - Freeman; Joe Siffleet - Young ICF Member; Dave Lea - Bingo; Jayson Wheatley - Prentice (14 years old); Daniel Kaluuya - Cass (14 years old); Jamie Kenna - Stevie Hogan; Johnny Palmeiro - Shaun The Skinhead; Robbie Gee - Marion; Mario Demetriou - Greek Waiter; Lucy Russell - TV presenter; Jack Johnson - young freeman (10 years old); Helen Anderson - Detective; Ralph Ineson - Mullins, Sergeant; Gemma Baker - Tracey; Geoffrey Beevers - Vicar; Liam Smith - Gaffer; Renton Skinner - Northern Comic; Callum Ruange - Young PRentice (10 years old); Winston Ellis - Zulu; Jack Bence - Teenage Bully 1; Nick Bartlett - Pub Regular; Brandon Robinson - Billy The Bully; Cass Pennant - Bigs; Frank Bruno - Frank; Sid Young - Teenage Bully 2; Eddie Weber - Prison Guard Ron; Bill Gardner - Harry the Prisoner; Lee Tumbull - Male Diner; Tiggy Allen - Florist; Lucy Aylen - Female Diner; Bill Kelly - Big T; Mick Robbins - Prison Guard; Sarah Finnegan - Woman Passer-by; Jock The Building - Himself; Danny QPR - Taxi Driver; Joe Eagen - Joe the Barman; Georgina Pennant - Officer Worker; harry David - Assassin Gang; Charlie French - Assassin Gang; Mark French - Assassin Gang
Credit
Samantha Wardell - Art Director, Suzanne Smith - Casting, Julie Harkin - Casting, Guy Speranza - Costume Designer, Michael Povey - Costume Designer, Jon S. Baird - Director, David Moyes - Editor, Will Clarke - Executive Producer, Jon S. Baird - Executive Producer, Adam Kulick - Executive Producer, Pierre Weisbien - Executive Producer, Berry van Zwieten - Line Producer, Matteo Scumaci - Composer (Music Score), Daniel Taylor - Production Designer, Christopher Ross - Cinematographer, Stefan Haller - Producer, David Lea - Stunts Coordinator, Jon S. Baird - Screenwriter, Kevin Westley - Assistant Director, Nick Simmonds - Assistant Director
It is based on the true story of the early life of Cass Pennant, it is adapted from his book and tells how he was adopted by an elderly white couple and brought up in an all-white area of London. Cass was forced to endure racist bullying on a daily basis. Cass found through violence the respect he never had and became addicted to the buzz of fighting. He became involved in football hooliganism via the Inter City Firm, for whom he went on to become the de facto leader of the West Ham Football Firm.
Cass Pennant himself plays a cameo role in the movie as the character, "Biggs".
