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 & 16 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 | trailer home | teenage boy | smuggling | 

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Taglines:

Life...it's about to hit the fan. (US one-sheet)

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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

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 delikanli

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£144,388 (United Kingdom), 6 October 2002, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,667, 18 May 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$31,538, 28 August 2016

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film sparked a censorship debate in the UK regarding the amount of bad language used. Under current British Board of Film Classification rules, multiple uses of the word "fuck" usually only warrant a 15-certificate, but even a single aggressive use of the word "cunt" tends to lead to an 18-certificate, as was the case with Sweet Sixteen. It was argued, however, that this would prevent the people who could most closely identify with the characters in the film from going to see it, and that such language was much more commonly used, and therefore less offensive, in the north of the UK, where the film was set. The London based censors, however, stuck to their guns, although the local authority who cover the area where the film was shot, Inverclyde, utilized their cinema licensing powers to overrule this, and awarded the film a 15-certificate for screenings in their area.

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Connections

Referenced in Life with Derek: Not So Sweet Sixteen (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Burn in Hell'
Written by Otten/Skog/Tell/Torstensen
Performed by Clawfinger
Used by kind permission of Universal Musik Production GmbH/BMG
Entertainment International UK & Ireland Ltd

User Reviews

Bittersweet

I saw this film at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival. A completely charming mix of hope and despair set in Greenock, a troubled suburb of Glasgow. Fifteen-year old Liam spends his time trying to scrounge enough money to buy a caravan (trailer) for his mom and him to live in when she's released from prison. He needs money fast, and decides to cut in on his mom's boyfriend's heroin trade. Of course, he's soon in way over his head. Among the rest of the non-professional cast, Martin Compston's performance floored me. He captures that period between childhood and adulthood with just the right mix of emotions. He was sitting in the seat right behind me and when the film was over, I turned to him, speechless, and just shook his hand.