Themes and Message

Themes

Class differences

The central theme of the film The Riot Club (2014) directed by Lone Scherfig is that of class differences. The film explores these differences with the help of Miles and Alistair, two Oxford students with aristocratic backgrounds, who are invited to become members of the famous Riot Club. 

Miles, Alistair, and the rest of the young men in the Riot Club belong to the upper class. Newly rich or coming from old money, they belong to the soon-to-be elite ruling class. Except for Miles, all the boys seem to share the same disgust for the working class. Miles is politically left-leaning and has a girlfriend with a working-class background, who has a scholarship to study at Oxford. 

Alistair and Miles have opposing views when it comes to the working class. While Alistair openly hates members of the working class, Miles has more progressive views and tries to defend them. During Alistair’s vicious speech against the poor, Miles suggests that all classes should try to coexist, but his views are quickly dismissed. Alistair continues to provoke the others by calling the working class envious and lazy, secretly wishing to be born into money and privilege. 

The film offers b...