ception ▁and ▁legacy ▁The ▁F irm ▁proved ▁controvers ial , ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁both ▁celebrated ▁and ▁condem ned ▁for ▁its ▁violent ▁content . ▁Tom ▁Daw son ▁in ▁The ▁List ▁reported ▁that ▁it ▁" is ▁widely ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁t ough est ▁and ▁most ▁insight ful ▁screen ▁dep iction ▁of ▁football ▁h ool ig ans ". ▁Vice ▁critic ▁Harry ▁S word ▁wrote ▁that ▁" The ▁F irm ▁remains ▁the ▁definit ive ▁cell ul oid ▁document ▁on ▁football ▁h ool igan ism : ▁a ▁pan or am ic ▁master pie ce ▁that ▁captured ▁a ▁world ▁of ▁v icious ▁violence ▁and ▁material ▁asp iration ". ▁Philip ▁French ▁in ▁The ▁Ob server ▁described ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁" by ▁some ▁way ▁the ▁best ▁movie ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁football ▁h ool igan ism ▁and ▁a ▁key ▁text ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁Th atch er ' s ▁Britain ." ▁ ▁Film 4 ▁ha iled ▁The ▁F irm ▁as ▁a ▁" br illiant ▁and ▁comp elling ▁drama " ▁that ▁features ▁Old man ▁" at ▁his ▁vis cer al , ▁inten se ▁best ". ▁Josh ▁Win ning ▁of ▁Total ▁Film ▁observed ▁its ▁" un fl inch ing ▁dep ict ions ▁of ▁violence " ▁along ▁with ▁Clar ke ' s ▁" layer ed , ▁fear less ▁approach ", ▁and ▁named ▁Old man ' s ▁" st unning " ▁performance ▁as ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁his ▁career . ▁Matthew ▁Th rift ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Film ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁wrote ▁that ▁B iss ell ▁" rem ains ▁probably ▁Gary ▁Old