Non-Scots audiences will have to pay attention to catch what everyone's saying, though, and there are actually subtitles for the first 15 minutes - after which everyone is assumed to have got the hang of it.Ĭompston plays Liam, who lives with his cantankerous grandfather and abusive drug-dealing stepfather Stan (Gary McCormack), waiting for his mother Jean (Michelle Coulter) to be released from prison. Loach, as it happens, has discovered his own authentic star: the non-professional teenager Martin Compston, who takes to the camera like a natural without ever appearing to be acting. It's very different from the comically hyperactive world of, say, Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, with its riffing voiceovers, set pieces and stars. Loach's social-realist drama, written by his longtime collaborator Paul Laverty, is a distinctive, piercingly serious vision. Yet there's sweetness of a sort, an elusive sort, to be found in his tremendously powerful, occasionally grimly humorous new movie, set in the wretched estates of Greenock, where boys and girls of all ages are to be found mortgaging their existences for tenner-bags of smack. And as adjectives go, the one in this title couldn't be more ironic. Maybe not much has changed in this director's vision, except to get worse, because not much has changed in the unfashionable things he wants to make films about. In this one, 33 years later, Liam's mum timidly asks him how his schoolwork is going and everyone just laughs. In that film, back in 1969, school was important. What a long time ago it seems that David Bradley's Billy was on the Kes posters and paperback covers, flicking us a good old-fashioned British V-sign. Chased out by the publican, they give him - and us, and anyone who wants to know - the finger, American-style. So don't make an unfair comparison.T he hero of Ken Loach's new film is Liam, a lairy young lad a few weeks shy of his 16th birthday, caught with his friend Pinball selling contraband fags in a pub, without reference to HM customs and excise. For those that read the book and then watched the movie, sorry to burst a bubble but movies never live up to their books. I personally was not disappointed at all. In general, I am already putting it on my rewatch list. Very clean and clear story telling, which is always great for a movie. Unpredictable, but luckily, the mood change was not confusing at all. But prepare yourself for some emotional turmoil because "sweet" sixteen is far from being sweet and the whole movie had me going up and down and up and down the entire film. Story was amazing as well, just not my kind of ending hahah. Hangeng's characters is basically probably every girl's dreamy boy next door type and the female actress was stunning as well.
I'm so happy because Kris kinda disappointed me a bit in his Never Gone role so I was a bit nervous but it's obvious that dramatic characters suit him amazingly well. Otherwise all I got to say was acting was ON POINT. kinda?) then they'd really like the ending. For those who aren't looking for your stereotypical happy ending (I mean idk, maybe some people can find it somewhat happy.
Rewatch Value 10 So I would give it a perfect 10/10 but for me the ending was too upsetting. NOTE: Also please watch the movie first before you decide to dig up the real ending to the original story. "Love is courage, love is joy, love is sacrifice, love is not a sin. Even though he was impulsive, he was heroic on most events, and brought together this message and lesson to the movie: He had gotten himself in trouble many times for Ya Wang. You'll see how much Xia Mu has grown and how he became a stronger person throughout the movie. Rather, he will progress and develop as a character through action. I just wish Xia Mu would have more dialogues, but I understand he's a stoic and emotionless character from the start so he wouldn't speak much. The cinematography and the amazing music went well with all the scenes. (on unrequited love)Įnding: Hopeful (That's a hint that it ended well.)