There's an old Simpsons' episode where a group of nefarious villains (Mr. Black, Jimbo Jones and his pals) sit down to a candlelit banquet with cigars and brandy during which they make a toast: "Gentlemen, to evil." I thought of that scene while watching "The Riot Club" a supposed attempt at satire or social commentary on the British class system.The plot: two Oxford University freshman with the proper lineage are invited to join a secret society, The Riot Club- a select group of fellow male students which holds riotous public soirees involving copious amounts of alcohol, drugs, vandalism, and maybe sexual favors from hired pros. The vast majority of the film takes place in the private dining room of a middle-class pub whose landlord is tricked into believing he's hosting a young entrepreneurs' meeting. Instead, the Riot Club drives his other customers away with their boorish behavior and then trash the place. When he objects the Riot Club attempt to pay him off while at the same time berating him about the lowness of his and all working people's standing in their eyes. Anyway things don't go well for the poor landlord in the ensuing confrontation. But will the members of the Riot Club get away with their callous and violent debauchery due to their wealth and status? Do you really have to watch this movie to find out the answer to that question?Overall, this movie fails as both satire and as social/political commentary. It's basically Labour Party/left wing propaganda about the "evilness" of the "other side." You're supposed to hate these cartoonish villains. Its message seems to be that you don't want to be like these guys and certainly don't want to vote for people with their background because you know deep-down that they hate you. It's so transparent that it's insulting.It's also hypocritical. If you want to see disdain directed at the working class then go to any Left-leaning U.S. news/political opinion source and read the comments. (I'm no fan of Don Cheeto, but the American Left's distaste for his largely working-class voters is even more palpable than that of the Snidely Whiplash characters of "The Riot Club.") Or the British Left's apoplexy as to the unwashed "proles" not knowing what's good for them as to the Brexit vote. There is an inability on both sides of the political aisle to see the opposing side as anything other than self-serving monsters. Maybe that's the nature of politics, but it's also dishonest and harmful. And propagandist nonsense like "The Riot Club" just adds to the societal rot where people look upon their fellow citizens as "enemies" based on their coming from a certain background or holding the "wrong" political beliefs.Why four stars? The acting was fairly decent. (Although Max Irons looks absolutely nothing like his father.)

If you want to see where America is heading this film will help you see the way. The grotesque British class system was something that always horrified me as a child and I was glad to have grown up in a much more egalitarian America, at least where I lived in the middle of the country. I'd say that we aren't too far from another civil war to check the rampant gutting of our middle class by the richest few. If these "elites" are allowed to govern our world unchallenged then god help us.I had a hard time watching this as I found all of the boys to be despicable and loathsome. After the incident with the innkeeper the one boy said that he didn't do anything. Yes, you did. You stood by and watched as your friends beat an innocent man almost to death, a total freaking coward and almost as bad as the others.

To me, this movie is entertaining with great storyline and acting. That's why I gave a 9 for it. However, I kind of understand why this movie doesn't get very good reviews. Because It was portraying a group of young, rich and stupid people who were behaving so arrogantly and most general (middle class) people who watch it would feel strongly disapproved and, as a consequence dislike this movie. I think it is quite difficult to differentiate the opinion regarding one issue with the movie itself. Even though I also feel disapproved and dislike their behaviors, I can see that this movie is trying to communicate something. I believe they try to show the hideous aspect of UK's elite system that has long been an important part of British society and it has carried on till the modern time. Many people admire and look at the UK as equivalent of being posh and sophisticated especially in those prestigious universities. But in fact, they are likely to do more harm than good. The movie really shows how rich kids and even elite adults can be out of touch with the world and think of themselves as superior than the rest, which I believe there are still many like that in the UK. It gets me thinking that it is probably the culprit that drags the UK behind other countries. The UK is now behind the war-defeated country like Germany and the country of similar size and characteristics such as France, even though it got so many advantages such as speaking the world language, once the most powerful country with so many colony and all. I believe the main difference between France, Germany and UK is that the UK elite system, including the monarch, is so strong and overly important. As an outsider it looks interesting and cool but I wouldn't want the same for my country. I think it is kind of bad for the country in a sense that many resources could have been pulled away for more practical purposes and wasted on the flamboyant parties, fancy clothes and palaces.

With the British general election coming up I thought I'd watch this recent British offering THE RIOT CLUB . Vaguely remembering the marketing that went with its release it's obviously based upon the notorious Bullingdon Club , a long running exclusive guild composed of inbred over privileged parasites , A recent clique included simultaneous membership involving David Cameron , George Osbourne and Boris Johnson and other conservative party bigwigs . We've all seen THAT picture and vomited . Honestly the democratic process and the country of Britain deserves more , much more . Mind you my conscious is clear since myself and millions of others in Scotland can and will vote for the centre left relatively egalitarian Scottish Nationalist Party where as my poor Anglo Saxon cousins have got the choice between the Conservative and Labour parties who are engaged in a race to the bottom as to who can kick the proletariat hardest !!!! SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS !!!!! I can see the point what screenwriter Laura Wade and director Lone Scherfig are doing here . Money can buy you anything and while it's one law for the poor and powerless then it's a case of there's no law for the rich and powerful and you can buy yourself out of trouble but with great privilege must come great responsibility . Forget these very important points then very bad things will happen . When the film concentrates on this element it is rather good . Unfortunately the film doesn't do this often enough . The subtext doesn't really start appearing until the midway point . Until then too much time is taken up by introducing a whole host of very hateful characters . No doubt we're supposed to like Miles but I found little positive attributes from him but I'm willing to confess my class envy might be on show here , Even the film's ready made victim Chris the pub landlord is an unsympathetic character due to short term monetary greed and really only has himself to blame . so when you've got greedy people coming in to conflict against other greedy people there's no one a neutral audience can cheer for and that's the film's underlying problem