If Jodie Comer's star turn in Killing Eve is up there with one of your favourite TV performances (us too), we’ve got some good news for you. While sadly we can’t offer news of another series, we do have an exceptionally good drama to tell you about that's just as likely to blow you away. Introducing England Is Mine, the 2017 film that sees Jodie play an office worker who falls for a young Morrissey (played by Slow Horses' Jack Lowden) and, in our opinion, is one of her most underrated roles.
Now available to watch at home thanks to Prime Video, the film takes us back to Steven Morrissey’s shy, awkward teenage years before he went on to become the The Smiths’ frontman. We see how, before his ascent to fame, as well as battling depression and numerous obstacles along the way, he took on various unfulfilling jobs, one of which was at a taxi office where Christine (Jodie) works who's intent on pursuing the introverted wannabe musician.
Intrigued? Before you tune in, here’s everything you need to know about England Is Mine, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is England is Mine about?
The film, which was first released in 2017, is a fictionalised account of the early career of young, introverted vocalist Steven Morrissey (played by Jack Lowden) in 1970s Manchester before he became the iconic frontman of '80s band The Smiths. We follow his teenage years when he’d send reviews to music newspapers and longed to follow his passion for writing, but wouldn’t do so for a number of years.
Forced to earn a living and help his family through difficult times, he works a number of dull jobs, including one at a tax office, where Jodie Comer’s character, Christine, also works as the office secretary and shows rather a lot of interest in Steven. With the job offering nothing but drudgery, we see his struggles with depression and how, eventually, he meets Johnny Marr (Laurie Kynaston) which marks the start of a collaboration that will become The Smiths.
Jodie Comer spoke to Interview Magazine about her character, explaining: "She's very narrow-minded and doesn't think before she speaks. And he's this serious guy into all this weird music. She takes a shine to him, but he can't stand her really."
Interestingly, Jack Lowden knew very little about Morrissey before he played him, despite his iconic status. He told The Guardian: “He’s not someone I grew up with. I think the Smiths had split up before I was born.
“It was probably helpful that I wasn’t a massive fan. One trap you can fall into when playing someone iconic is to end up doing everything in an iconic way, no matter how pedestrian or mundane that thing is.”
Who’s in the cast of England is Mine?
The cast of England Is Mine includes:
- Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Steven Patrick Morrissey
- Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) as Linder Sterling
- Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) as Christine
- Peter McDonald (Woken) as Peter Morrissey
- Simone Kirby (Irish Blood) as Elizabeth Morrissey
- Laurie Kynaston (Fool Me Once) as Johnny Marr
- Graeme Hawley (Peaky Blinders) as Mr. Leonard
- Adam Lawrence (Midas Man) as Billy Duffy
- Katherine Pearce (Waterloo Road) as Anji Hardie
- Vivenne Bell (National Treasure) as Jacqueline Morrissey
Is there a trailer for England Is Mine?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for England is Mine below.
Is England Is Mine any good?
Yes - it’s a genuinely fascinating film that doesn’t do the age-old thing of trying to capture someone’s entire life in only 90 minutes. Despite Jack Lowden barely knowing anything about Morrissey before taking on the role, his performance is very memorable. Our only complaint is that we don’t see more of Jodie Comer, but she’s still fantastic nonetheless.
How can I watch England Is Mine about?
England is Mine is available to watch now on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video.
What other Jodie Comer dramas can I watch now?
For a series that’ll stay with you long after you watch it, we’d recommend Help. The brutally honest series stars Jodie as a care home assistant who goes to extraordinary lengths to protect her patients when the pandemic hits. You can watch Help is now on Channel 4. If you’re more of a period drama fan, try The Last Duel. Matt Damon plays Jean de Carrouges, who squire Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) to fight to the death after Jean's wife, Marguerite (Jodie), accuses Jacques of raping her. It’s bold, brilliantly thrilling and you can also watch it on Channel 4.
