The Selfish Giant
Two excluded Yorkshire boys turn scrap collecting into a dangerous test of friendship, loyalty, and moral compromise.
Overview
A poignant exploration of friendship and betrayal unfolds in a gritty Yorkshire town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- gritty
- melancholic
- intimate
- arthouse film night
- serious drama viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film’s gritty social realism, emotionally powerful young performances, and beautiful photography, while some found its poverty-focused manipulation heavy-handed.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Arbor and Swifty collect scrap metal in their deprived Yorkshire neighborhood for money and become exposed to dangerous informal labor.
Arbor’s hurt over Kitten’s preference for Swifty turns the boys’ close friendship into rivalry.
The film’s Bradford-area streets, scrap yards, family pressures, and young non-glamorous protagonists create a raw social-realist texture.
Arbor emulates scrap dealer Kitten, becoming increasingly greedy and exploitative in his attempt to gain approval and make money.
Films like The Selfish Giant, and why
Kes
gritty social realism, vulnerable young protagonists, and a bruised friendship shaped by poverty
Rocks
kitchen-sink drama, working-class hardship, and emotionally raw adolescent characters
Fish Tank
naturalistic performances, marginalized youth, and compassionate but unsentimental social observation
Ratcatcher
bleak coming-of-age drama centered on friendship, deprivation, and moral consequence
Movie Details
- Director
- Clio Barnard
- Release Date
- 2013-10-25
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (252)
Cast
- Conner Chapman
- Shaun Thomas
- Sean Gilder
- Lorraine Ashbourne
- Ian Burfield
- Steve Evets
- Siobhan Finneran
- Ralph Ineson
- Rebecca Manley
- Rhys McCoy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Selfish Giant about?
- Two excluded Yorkshire boys turn scrap collecting into a dangerous test of friendship, loyalty, and moral compromise.
- What is The Selfish Giant like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Selfish Giant as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Selfish Giant violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Selfish Giant as mild.
- What did critics think of The Selfish Giant?
- Critics broadly praised the film’s gritty social realism, emotionally powerful young performances, and beautiful photography, while some found its poverty-focused manipulation heavy-handed.
- Which films are like The Selfish Giant?
- Films with a similar feel include Kes, Rocks, Fish Tank, and Ratcatcher.
- How long is The Selfish Giant?
- The Selfish Giant runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Selfish Giant?
- In United States, The Selfish Giant streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
