The new 4K restoration of 1995's Boston Kickout takes us headlong into teenage life in early '90s Britain. Set away from the big cities, Paul Hill's film confidently mixes harrowing drama, frequent comedy, despair and optimism. On release, though, it never came close to the breakout success of contemporary films that trod similar ground, Trainspotting being a prime example. This restoration could be the chance for this compelling, character-led film to shine.

Thirty years on, it's fascinating to watch actors like Andrew Lincoln and John Simm at the start of their careers. Four years before Human Traffic and Wonderland, it's Simm who takes the lead in his first feature. He doesn't play the edgy character he'd become better known for, but there are flashes of it in his tormented but increasingly understandable Phil. As his charismatic friend Ted, Andrew Lincoln is the livewire, albeit he doesn't hang around for long, while the under pressure Steven (Richard Hanson) and happy-to-make-do Matt (Nathan Valente) round out the central foursome. Marc Warren is a wound coil of unpredictable, wiry energy as Steven's brother (“‘Yes! Thrown out of every club in Stevenage” “There are only two clubs”). But his growing menace is far from the only thing the central four friends have to contend with.

We encounter them as they leave school in 1991, struggling with the confines of Stevenage, and looking to an uncertain future as the Berlin Wall falls hundreds of miles away. They're not exactly trapped in a small Hertfordshire town, but it's not big enough for them. The day talk with parents is all about jobs and university, while at night, their life is all about drinking and playing delinquent. Phil, old before his years due to the childhood trauma (in the opening scene, we see young Phil witness his mother's death), is increasingly adrift as his friends all approach life after school in different ways.

The film's obscure name refers to one of their favourite activities, brilliantly realised in the early scene: The four, as kids and then at 18, rampage through the town's gardens, trashing and smashing everything they can before legging it. It's a great illustration of the old bonds between the four, but if anything, Boston Kickout is about how each of them leaves that game behind.

One moral is that, even escaping the inner city for a brighter life in Stevenage (although the grass is always greener, as Phil makes clear when he takes a trip to Ireland) doesn't guarantee an escape from the dangers of early-90s Britain. Unemployment, violence, alcoholism, drug abuse and crime all make their presence felt in this authentic, New Town odyssey.

It's easy to see traces of Boston Kickout in other films that concentrate on this pivotal part of life, from Trainspotting to The History Boys. While it captures the moment with a soundtrack packed with The Stone Roses and Primal Scream songs, what really helps it stand out is a sharp script and a character-first approach to this slice of time. Hill's faith in his cast is rewarded. They help catch the film as it careers through highly stylised scenes, semi-surreal skits, and disturbing imagery alongside some devastatingly disarming dialogue (“How come he never writes to his mates?”).

Come the final scene, knowingly set on a roundabout and backed by early Oasis b-side D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?, you're likely to feel you've been on a complete journey with Boston Kickout's motley crew. This is a film that knows how to tell a story, handing a satisfying, if not universally kind, ending to each of its players—something that's an all-too-rare feat.

Even if it didn't have significant commercial or critical reach at release, it's easy to see why Boston Kickout found some success at festivals around the world. It's not so much a devastating glimpse of the UK in the early 1990s; it tackles fundamental, huge themes around a rite of passage that many of us can, at least partially, relate to.

4K Ultra HD Limited Edition Special Features

New Commentary with Marc Warren
Mad in Tokyo: Brand-new exclusive short film by Paul Hills
Original 2004 Commentary with John Simm
Making of Feature
New 4K Restoration Trailer
Original UK Trailer
Original US Trailer
Deleted Scenes (with commentary option)
Storyboard Comparisons
Stills Gallery
Postcards
Poster

The 4K restoration of Boston Kickout is now available on streaming. It will be released as a limited edition 4K and Blu-ray box set on 24 November.