Sweet Sixteen (2002)

Determined to have a normal family life once his mother gets out of prison, a Scottish teenager from a tough background sets out to raise the money for a home.

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Paul Laverty (screenplay)

Stars:

Martin Compston, Michelle Coulter, Annmarie Fulton

10 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Compston	...	Liam
William Ruane	...	Pinball
Annmarie Fulton	...	Chantelle
Michelle Abercromby	...	Suzanne
Michelle Coulter	...	Jean
Gary McCormack	...	Stan
Tommy McKee	...	Rab
Calum McAlees	...	Calum
Robert Rennie	...	Scullion
Martin McCardie	...	Tony
Robert Harrison	...	Tony's gang
George McNeilage	...	Tony's gang
Rikki Traynor	...	Tony's gang
Jon Morrison	...	Douglas
Junior Walker	...	Night-time

Storyline

Liam is a young, restless teen struggling to realize his dream in the gritty and dismal streets of Greenock, where unemployment is rampant and little hope is available to the city's youth. He is waiting for the release of his mother, Jean, from prison where she is completing a prison term for a crime that her boyfriend actually committed. Her boyfriend, Stan, is a crude and obnoxious drug pusher is partnered by Liam's equally rough and foul-mouthed, mean-spirited grandfather. Liam is determined to rescue his mother from both of them, which means creating a safe haven beyond their reach. But first he's got to raise the cash--no small feat for a young man. It's not long before Liam and his pals' crazy schemes lead them into all sorts of trouble. Finding himself dangerously out of his depth, Liam knows he should walk away. Only this time, he just can't let go.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | drug dealing | smuggling | glasgow scotland | drug dealer | 

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Taglines:

It's you and Liam, against the world.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

The DVD featured Ken Loach's first ever director's commentary.

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Connections

Featured in Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach (2016)

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Soundtracks

I Go to Sleep
Written and Composed by Ray Davies
Performed by The Pretenders
With kind permission of Edward Kassner Music Co. Ltd
Licensed courtesy of Warner Strategic Marketing UK

User Reviews

Surprisingly uplifting

The kind of film I usually intend to see but don't end up seeing. In this case I did see it and was handsomely rewarded. I expected it to be a little on the depressing side but found it strangely uplifting. Perhaps because you realise that you don't have it so bad after all. Perhaps because it was extremely tight - with no needless scenes. I half expected the protag's relationship with the girl to result in a teenage sex scene. But it didn't and there's no way it would have fitted in with the film's race towards it's inevitable conclusion. Inevitable but not exactly predictable either. Stunning.

Details

Official Sites:

Lions Gate Films [United States]

Country:

UK Germany Spain

Language:

English Scots

Release Date:

4 October 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

Afili delikanlı

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,667, 18 May 2003

Gross USA:

$316,319

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,633,509

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Road Movies Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1