The Guv'nor [DVD]

Jamie McLean did great job on this. It wasn't a whitewash. We get a sense of who his dad was, warts and all. And in the end, we like him. But in the end, this is as much Jamie's movie as it is Len's. One comes away from the doc feeling it was a story about sons and fathers, about family as much as anything. Great stuff.

We can barely see back into those old days, as they slowly fade.Current generations may not understand this story. Maybe a way to gain some balanced perspective is to read his book? ("the Guv'nor").... I loved the Guy Ritchie "Lock Stock and Two smoking Barrels" and it's interesting to know now that the Guv'nor was that old guy leading the bunch... a memorable role... that was Lenny... that was Lenny... wow. , have seen it several times. Now that I have seen this documentary on Lenny "The Guv'nor" , I am anxious to see it again. Somehow I forgot that Jason Statham (sp?) ALSO had a break out role in that one as well... it's going to be interesting...Something heroic comes through in this documentary, this is an honest attempt by Lenny's son, jamie, trying to explore, trying to come to grips with the many facets of his father. It's a balanced attempt to not "pull any punches" but to try to define the undefinable. Lenny's generation didn't talk about their hardships, if they had the courage and will to try to rise above an abusive upbringing, they sometimes found redemption in the ring. Somehow Lenny gradually bettered himself, rebuilt himself and finally came to the career of acting far too late. I have often wondered about actors who get roles where they let off their rage, find some sort of method to drive a character, but not ruin themselves in the process... leave it on the stage. That may have been an option for modern generations... But not for Lenny... for him it was bare knuckle fighting...the acting came to Lenny too late in his life. We have learned a lot, over the years... perhaps so many ways to deal with inner rage and abusive childhoods available to us...but for Lenny , seems like the route to redemption was to fight his way through it... so it goes.This film will not make sense to everybody. It is about the old ways, as I have said... perhaps it is a way of seeing that we have come so far? I think so.When I was a kid, I found myself taking on the bullies... I look back on it, and it seems strange to me now... the playground fist fights surrounded by cheering classmates, getting my nose broken several times, fighting the seniors on the bus to school.. all bullies,I had my reasons...just like Lenny. I still don't know how I escaped a similar life to Lenny's, but I did... maybe it was because I was in the generation or from a family that encouraged me to focus on my artistic talent... or maybe it was the martial arts that helped me work it out... but I understand folks like Lenny. They go head to head with the bullies... become the Guv'nor, if they are lucky, become bouncers when they tire of the ring... most do not survive the way Lenny did. I see the heroic in it... keeping his heart alive and discovering himself as an actor later on, it that film... Writing his auto-biography...speaks for itself... to me very inspiring, but also an era gone by... there went a life... But beyond it all, there isn't a safe way to take so many punches and not pay a price. So it goes. I am very happy to find this movie and discover more about the guy who played such a great part in "Lock Stock"...

I'm sure it would have been a good documentary...if you could understand what in the hell he was saying. His accent makes it very difficult to watch the video because you can't understand half the time what it is he's saying.

I have read one of Lenny McClean biographys and seen his footage on YouTube. I really wanted to like thid but I'm sorry I couldn't finish it. Once the son was going on about how tough his dad was and how he could beat tyson or klitschko I had to stop. Your dad was tough I'm sure but one, don't demean anyone who fights as a sport, and two your dad would get his ass whooped by any semi decent amatuer boxer/mma fighter. 8

Talk about how life was different when your dad is growing up and how people then didn't call the police if there were fights outside. Then proceed to have some monologue over two 20 some year olds in some hay-bail ring fighting and are being critical of them. Your dad has 2,000 fights, would go around beating the piss out of people when he was drunk, whole neighborhoods were scared of him and told people to come inside when he was out all like it was a badge of honor. And no, he could not beat Tyson or Klitschko. I couldn't finish watching it. Maybe there was some arc there I completely missed, and maybe he ties it all up nicely out the end, but idk felt like a kid telling exaggerated stories about his monster of a father. Not all that terrible tho.

The Guv'Nor is the real deal, toughest man on earth-at least behind my Pop and I'm sure you feel that way about your Pops too. I can't wait for a movie about Lenny that the family can stand behind with this documentary as some background to this amazing man who's life (and his wife's ) were cut short by the dreaded bastard cancer. BTW, my Grandfather, albeit into his upper 80's played dead on my poor grandmother often-so often when he finally passed due to an unexpected heart attack at 89, she didn't call 911 as she thought he was still faking...the grandpa who cried wolf!

The guy was a seriously intimidating figure. He did have a good streak that saved him. Excellent doc about a time past. This guys son did a really nice thing paying homage to his dad like this. Very interesting as it fleshes out a movie character that was much more than we knew. I'd like to see a bit of a return to the old days.

Such a wonderful and interesting story about such a great man.

If you like anything about Lenny McLean, this is about the best.Introduced by his son Jamie, this is the life story of the ups and downs of the McLean family basically from start of Lenny's story to the premature passing of Lenny and lots of the details in between.Super DVD and very well put together and great narrative about a British legend, in and out of the ring.

Gutted I bought this as I shortly after that it appeared on Netflix. Otherwise, this is a good account of Lenny's life.I've watched every documentary & YouTube clip I could find and read the books but this is the most comprehensive account so far (aside from his actual book, of course).Worth a few quid if you haven't got Netflix!

Great dvd film / documentary, well done to Jamie (Lennys son) for a well structured and honest view of his Dad'scomplex and brutally violent character. Highly recommend.

Great piece of work, unlike Lenny who if you crossed him, you wouldn’t call him that! More like a nasty piece of work.

Excellent dvd could watch it again very interesting man,his books are also a must to read fascinating.