After having suffered a heart-attack, a 59-year-old carpenter must fight the bureaucratic forces of the system in order to receive Employment and Support Allowance.
Narrowly avoiding jail, new dad Robbie vows to turn over a new leaf. A visit to a whisky distillery inspires him and his mates to seek a way out of their hopeless lives.
During the Depression, Jimmy Gralton returns home to Ireland after ten years of exile in America. Seeing the levels of poverty and oppression, the activist in him reawakens and he looks to re-open the dance hall that led to his deportation.
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
Stars:
Martin Compston,
Michelle Coulter,
Annmarie Fulton
A 59 year old carpenter recovering from a heart attack befriends a single mother and her two kids as they navigate their way through the impersonal, Kafkaesque benefits system. With equal amounts of humor, warmth and despair, the journey is heartfelt and emotional until the end.
Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider. See more »
Goofs
When Daniel is in the benefits office the adviser Ann notices he looks unwell and sits him down and gives Daniel a plastic cup of water. Initially when Daniel gets the cup there are two or three cups stick together, as sometimes happens, the film then cuts away and then back and Daniels cup has become just one plastic cup. See more »
Quotes
Katie:
I can't cope, Dan. I feel like I'm going under.
Daniel:
Look, you'll get through this, darling.
See more »
Sailing By
(1963)
Composed by Ronald Binge
Performed by The Alan Perry/William Gardner Orchestra as The Perry/Gardner Orchestra
Conducted by Ronald Binge
Licensed courtesy of Mozart Edition (Great Britain) Ltd. See more »
I have just watched this film and felt I had to add my voice to others who have rated it.
Ken Loach has nailed it again.
While many came in to see it with the usual cinema food that can be a noisy distraction as the film progressed you could have heard a pin drop.
As the credits started to roll I started to applaud, others joined in. I have never been to see a film where I felt this was necessary.
Sadly the film showed how dysfunctional the systems meant to support are failing.
This film should mandatory for all in authority and all M.P.s and members of the House of Lords to view.