Peaky Blinders

This post might be too British but I think it is so interesting that it has to be released.

Some time ago I started watching TV series called Peaky Blinders. It is a British crime drama, set in 1919 in Birmingham.

The series is presenting the Peaky Blinders gang family, who are known to have the razor blades in the peaks of their caps. 

The boss in the gang is Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy) who wants to move up in the world. After the First World War, during which he took part, he started to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, he tries not to reveal this sad part of his personality to others. That's why he seems to be emotionless and cool as cucumber.

Tommy has two brothers, Arthur and John. Arthur Shelby is Tommy's older brother, he also took part in war, and since he is older than Tommy he belives that  he should be in head of the family. This causes some problems. 

John, called also Johnny or  John Boy, is the third oldest Shelby. John supports Tommy as a leader of the gang and idolises the Peaky Blinders image and what they stand for. 

And it is important to mention Aunt Polly (played by Helen McCrory). She is the aunt of Shelby siblings. She managed the Peaky Blinders when the boys were absent during war. She in unofficial head of the family and she quite often gives advices to Thomas.

This TV series, from  2013, was praised for stylish cinematography and charismatic performances, as well as for its writing, acting, visual style. And it is really worth watching.

What is more, it is based upon the real events.

The Peaky Blinders were a real criminal gang based in Birmingham in the late 19^th c. Just how it was presented in TV series, they practiced stitching razor blades into the peak of their flat caps.

Here is a short trailer that will tell you much more about the plot: