Characters
The film The Riot Club (2014) directed by Lone Scherfig tells the story of the Riot Club, an undergraduate dining society for elite Oxford University students. The film follows how the lives of two first-year students – Miles and Alistair – are changed because of their connection with the Riot Club.
Alistair Ryle is one of the main characters of the film. He is a first-year Oxford student and comes from a family that has a legacy at Oxford. Alistair lives in the shadow of his older brother, Sebastian, and is even forced by his father to accept living in his brother’s old room. Throughout the first part of the film, Alistair comes across as arrogant., He shows his true colors during the Riot Club’s celebratory dinner.
Miles Richards is another main character. He is portrayed as friendly, easy-going, and level-headed. Although he comes from a wealthy family with aristocratic connections, he does not use his ancestry as leverage. Miles is intrigued by the existence of the Riot Club and proud to be invited in. However, the events at the celebratory dinner will leave him disillusioned.
Other important characters include some of the Riot Club members, like Harry, Hugo, Dimitri, Guy, and James. Jeremy – Harry’s uncle – is a former member of the Riot Club and a successful Conservative MP. At the end of the film, Jeremy is the one who offers Alistair a chance to a successful future working in his office. Lauren – Miles’ girlfriend – comes from a working-class family and becomes one of the Riot Club’s victims, just like Chris, the pub owner. The relationships between the characters are affected and influenced by their connections to the Riot Club.
Full characterizations can be found on the following pages.
Excerpt from the study guide:
