A gritty, darkly comic portrait of working-class London life. Winner of Best European Film at Berlin, 1991.

Fresh out of Barlinnie prison, young Glaswegian Stevie arrives in London and lands a job on a construction site. Life in the capital is unforgiving, but when he meets Susan, a struggling singer chasing her own dreams, he begins to navigate the brutal ups and downs of survival with something approaching hope.

Riff Raff marks Robert Carlyle's breakout starring role in what's also a rousing ensemble piece that finds its humor in the rough camaraderie of the building site. The film mines its laughs from the authentic banter and brotherhood of men scraping by, while never losing sight of the harsh realities that bind them together. - BFI