Paul Sykes: At Large - Review
Paul Sykes: At Large (1990)
Cult documentary about the life of legendary Wakefield boxer and hard but Paul Sykes, as he is released from prison and begins making a new life for himself on the outside.
Sykes was a proper 'orrible bastard, but what a character. He, for me, represents the living embodiment of the British empire. He was a big bolshy bully of a bloke, throwing his weight around all over the place, even in prison he lorded it up, knocking screws about, playing the system, reading, writing his novel and evolving his philosophies on life which he spouted to all and sundry with confident glee. It's a marvel to watch, even if you don't believe a word of if (punching sharks round the noggin I ask yer) but in the end of the doc, he's quite a sad act. His know it all facade dropped and drooping into empty pint pots while his kids laugh at his attempts to discipline them. All that bragging wound up to nothing in the end, just a sad sack clown with all his tall tales turned into yesterday's chip paper...kind of where we are now as a country.
Paul sadly never recovered from that slump and ended up sleeping rough in Wakefield getting nightly shoeings from local youths eager to brag about battering a local legend. Let's hope England can pull itself together before we slip fully into the gutter aye.
Anyway, an unbelievable documentary about a wild wild man who probably just needed a hug or two as a kid. Sad, but thoroughly entertaining.
9/10
#paulsykes #paulsykesatlarge #cultdocumentary #britishfilm #thedonttellshow #reviewsonrealism