I, Daniel Blake (2016)

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.

Directors:

Ken Loach, Laura Obiols

Writer:

Paul Laverty (screenplay)

Stars:

Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Sharon Percy

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 28 wins & 36 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dave Johns	...	Daniel Blake
Hayley Squires	...	Katie
Briana Shann	...	Daisy
Dylan McKiernan	...	Dylan (as Dylan Phillip McKiernan)
Kate Rutter	...	Ann
Sharon Percy	...	Sheila
Kema Sikazwe	...	China
Steven Richens	...	Piper
Amanda Payne	...	Employment Support Allowance Assessor
Chris Mcglade	...	At the Sawmill (as Chris McGlade)
Shaun Prendergast	...	At the Sawmill
Gavin Webster	...	At the Sawmill
Sammy T. Dobson	...	Specialist Nurse
Mickey Hutton	...	Neighbour with dog
Colin Coombs	...	Postman

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

lack of money | psychological violence | united kingdom | great britain | carpenter | 

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Taglines:

Fearsomely Moving, Fearsomely Tender.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Ken Loach was invited for the 13th time into the 'Official Competition' of the Cannes International Film Festival. This is probably a record.

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Goofs

The Job Centre Adviser says that Daniel Blake can come off JSA at his own request without a job. This is wrong you cannot come off JSA until you have a job to go to.

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Quotes

Amanda the Health Care Professional: Good morning, Mr Blake. My name's Amanda. I've got a couple of questions here for you today to establish your eligibility for Employment Support Allowance. It won't take up much of your time. Could I just ask firstly, can you walk more than 50 metres unassisted by any other person?
Daniel: Yes.
Amanda the Health Care Professional: Okay... Can you raise either arm as if to put something in your top pocket?
Daniel: I've filled this in already on your 52-page form.
Amanda the Health Care Professional: Yeah, I can see that you have but, unfortunately, I couldn't make out what you had said ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

A very special thanks to workers within the DWP [Department for Work and Pensions] and PCS [Public and Commercial Services] Union who provided us with invaluable information but who must remain anonymous. [Government edict that public employees in these departments cannot speak publicly about their work.]

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Connections

Referenced in Antiques Roadshow: Abbey Pumping Station 2 (2018)

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Soundtracks

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.

User Reviews

From Britain to China, workers' very own solidarity is their social security

This movie caught me by my heart, like every other piece by Laverty- Loach cooperation. It is not a thriller, there are no twists, no peaks of emotions. It shows the naked reality of our everyday lives with its great pains and humor at the same time. But, the "banality" of these great pains is the strength of the movie, it shows how every encounter with the system is the time we face the reality of the system and look for someone who will give a hand us to survive it. Of course, this is mostly valid for the working class. The film softly depicts that it is not a socialist propaganda, because when truly shown the reality itself unveils as a socialist propaganda.

But the film is not another documentaristic presentation of the everyday life of a worker, as it also shows how to cope with all these we experience. It is the formation of a solidarity with others like us, the woman in the queue, the Chinese in the factory, the black in the warehouse, the clerk at the office... We are already connected, even with those in other continents. Once we see someone shouting with his writing on the wall, we should shout with him with our voice. If one of them writes a letter, another should spread its word.

A shot in the head of the Britain's social security system, a great call for solidarity.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Page Official site [Germany]

Country:

UK France Belgium

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 June 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

I, Daniel Blake

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,682, 4 June 2017

Gross USA:

$260,354

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,793,051

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions, Wild Bunch

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1