That awkward weird relationship between smell and Shaun
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Noddy_Comet — 11 years ago(April 18, 2014 10:23 AM)
She has a different style to the other girls, which either puts off the other skin heads or intimidates them. She liked Shaun's affection and seems lonely and went with this boy. I get the impression she is very much mistaken/misled by his maturity/sadness.
I thought that, too. I think despite being part of the gang, Smell is almost an outsider amongst outsiders, and doesn't really fit in as well as she might because of her different look. This wasn't unusual, though. I grew up in a similar sort of neighbourhood, and all the kids who were in some way different - punks, skins, goths and even metalheads - tended to hang out together, probably because, despite the very different looks, there was a lot of musical crossover. Kids were less tribal in those days.
Make tea, not war. -
fairy_depp — 11 years ago(May 01, 2014 01:00 PM)
Yeah I found it a bit odd too I guess there is only a few years difference (he could be 12/13 and she could be 15/16) but he seemed a lot younger than her. there would be much more fuss if it was an older boy and younger girl.
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riverwalk — 10 years ago(August 03, 2015 07:58 AM)
''there would be much more fuss if it was an older boy and younger girl.''
exactly and people on here are defending her, i think it was a really tasteless move of the directors to cast her, regardless of her age in real life she still looked like a young adult woman and he seemed like a child-it was just wrong, they should have cast a younger looking actress. -
BulmaPunkRocker — 11 years ago(May 18, 2014 10:16 PM)
Was Smell turning 16 on her birthday? It wasn't a huge difference, just 4 years. If Shaun were 16 and Smell 20, probably no one would notice/care. I dated a 15 year old when I was 19, and I ain't no pedophile. We met again a few years ago and he's somewhat really into me weird, he's 29 now and I'm 32.
I do agree Smell was very different from the rest of the group. She has her own style, and was more femenine than the "skin girls". But the actors looks awkward together: he looks younger and she looks older.
After reading she was 15/16, it is more understandable to me, I thought she was turning 18, and that didn't make any sense.
Please excuse my terrible redaction, english is not my native language. -
funkydoodycool — 10 years ago(August 08, 2015 02:35 AM)
Shawn is 11 and Smell is 15, then 16 during the film. She even has her 16th birthday to confirm this fact Still a strange thing for a 15 year old and an 11 year old half her size to be involved, but it does happen, and did happen in the 80s. It was awkward yes, but then that feeling comes from seeing this as an adult. As a 15 year old you might not necessarily see such a difference, perhaps seeing it as "we're both children in the same group".
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CookieToCookie — 10 years ago(August 14, 2015 09:26 AM)
I found it bizarre too and spent most of the time trying to work out Smell's actual age. I have a friend who had his first girlfriend at 14 and she was 19 so it does happen, just not as common. In This is England '88 Shaun is 18 and Smell is 22 so it evens out over time.
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mmcguirk-738-152485 — 10 years ago(September 03, 2015 03:46 AM)
They don't fully consummate their relationship until the final episode of This is England 86, at this point Shaun is 16 and she is 19. It is after this they begin their relationship, until Shaun cheats on her two years later!
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sjrmanc — 10 years ago(September 22, 2015 06:27 AM)
she was 15 shaun was 11, but gadget is only year older than shaun. Shaun just small in comparison. But 15-11 isn't really that bad, and to be fair, in them days was a lot less taboo of age gaps. Plus smell is taller than all other girls too, so shes big for her age even though shes younger than others.