BIOGRAPHY (from Wikipedia)

Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936) is an English filmmaker. His socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty (Poor Cow, 1967, and I, Daniel Blake, 2016), homelessness (Cathy Come Home, 1966), and labour rights (Riff-Raff, 1991, and The Navigators, 2001).

Loach’s film Kes (1969) was voted the seventh greatest British film of the 20th century in a poll by the British Film Institute. Two of his films, The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016), received the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making him the ninth filmmaker to win the award twice.

DIRECTOGRAPHY 

Reviews

Total MovieViews Found: 27, showing 30 per page

Poster	Movie	Year	Comments	Rating	Reviewer
	Cathy Come Home	1966	A fascinating and horrifying slice of real life in the 1960s as a young couple fall fowl of the welfare state and slip into homelessness. Rightly heralded as a classic of British film-making..	9	Gordon
	Poor Cow	1967	Told in a documentary style, Ken Loach's debut film tells the story of a poor single mum in 60s London. Less moralistic than his later outings, but just as clear a social commentary as everything else that followed.	7	Gordon
	Kes	1969	A poor working class boy escapes the misery in his life when he starts to train a Kestrel. Almost 50 years old and still an almost perfect film. Ken Loach is still going strong, but Kes will be hard to beat as his best and most loved picture.	10	Gordon
	Family Life	1971	Overbearing parents and a forced abortion push a fragile girl to the edge. in a portrait of mental health in the 1970s. Ken Loach has crafted a drama that is far more terrifying than any horror film the period had to offer.	10	Gordon
	Black Jack	1979	Despite being ostensibly a children's tale about a young boy in the 1700s who meets an unusually big and strong French man and a runaway girl from an institution, it bears all the social and political hallmarks of a Ken Loach film. Low budget, big heart.	6	Gordon
	Looks and Smiles	1981	Loach takes another swipe at Thatcher's Britain and the hopelessness of youth. Based on the novel by Kes author Barry Hines, it is a great window into early 80s life though doesn't quite grip you .	7	Gordon
	Fatherland	1986	Despite Loach saying this was 'a mess of a film', the tale of a protest singer exiled from East Germany and his experience of the West is both intriguing and interesting whilst engaging debates on capitalism, socialism and history.	8	Gordon
	Hidden Agenda	1990	When a human rights activist is killed in Northern Ireland, the senior policeman leading the investigation stumbles on a bigger story about illegal interference in the UK election. An intriguing if not entirely thrilling conspiracy drama.	7	Gordon
	Riff-Raff	1991	The story of a Scottish labourer and an aspiring Irish singer, it has all the hallmarks of a Ken Loach social commentary, but unfortunately the plot falls a little flat. Ricky Tomlinson is great in a supporting role.	6	Gordon
	Raining Stones	1993	Bruce Jones gives a career best performance as an unemployed man desperate to find the money for his daughter's holy communion dress. Ricky Tomlinson is once again great in a supporting role as Ken Loach continues his exploration of British poverty.	8	Gordon
	Ladybird Ladybird	1994	This tale of a mother looking for redemption after her children are taken into care is possibly the most harrowing film I have ever seen. With amazing performances including a very scary Ray Winstone, this is a wonderful though quite depressing film.	9	Gordon
	Land and Freedom	1995	A superb look at the Spanish socialist uprising of 1936, as an Englishman joins an international militia in its fight against Franco's fascists. Perfectly captures the pain of war and why the good guys don't always win.	9	Gordon
	Carla's Song	1996	When a Scottish bus driver falls for a Nicaraguan woman, he travels to her homeland to help her find her family. Out of his depth, he finds the true horror of war but also the warmth and generosity of the Nicaraguan people.	7	Gordon
	My Name is Joe	1998	A recovering alcoholic struggles to balance a new relationship with life in the schemes of Glasgow. A superb performance from Paul Mullan shines through the gloom of poverty.	8	Gordon
	Looking for Eric	2000	When a failing father sees his and his family's life fall apart, he enlists the help of his imaginary friend Eric Cantona. A wonderful tale or returning from the brink.	8	Gordon
	Bread and Roses	2000	Loach and Laverty take their social commentary to LA with moderate success. The plight of low paid and mainly immigrant cleaners fight for the right to unionise is compelling, but the screenplay is lacking until its conclusion.	6	Gordon
	The Navigators	2001	Five Yorkshire rail-workers try to keep their head above water following the collapse of Railtrack and subsequent split into various private enterprises. Another funny and though provoking film that highlights the plight of many in the industry.	8	Gordon
	Sweet Sixteen	2002	A 15 year old boy risks his future to try and provide a new home for his mother when she comes out of prison. Typically gritty and realistic drama from the master Ken Loach.	7	Gordon
	Ae Fond Kiss	2004	A heartfelt tale of a Glaswegian Muslim man and an Irish Catholic woman who must upset their families and their faiths when they fall in love. Ahmad Riaz is great as the gentle but traditional patriarch.	8	Gordon
	Tickets	2005	Interconnected stories from three acclaimed directors showcase passengers on a train. An ageing professor in love with a colleague, a bullied ex-soldier and three Celtic fans on their way to a game. The third segment from Ken Loach is by far the best.	7	Gordon
	The Wind That Shakes The Barley	2006	Cillian Murphy is great as a member of the Irish Republican Army fighting for freedom from British rule. With echoes of Land and Freedom, the dialogue is even more gripping than the action.	8	Gordon
	It's a Free World...	2007	In one of Paul Laverty's best screenplays, a single mother starts her own recruitment agency after being fired, but soon starts to abuse the migrant workers to stay ahead.	9	Gordon
	Route Irish	2010	After his best friend is killed in Iraq, a man searches for answers to what really happened. A fantastic look at private security contractors and the life they sign up for, both abroad and at home.	8	Gordon
	The Angel's Share	2012	It is unusual to call a Ken Loach movie 'feel-good', but that is exactly what this is as a group of youths on community service hatch a plot to steal some very expensive whiskey. It still has the grit and squalor, but smothered in humour and fun.	8	Gordon
	Jimmy's Hall	2014	After 10 years of exile in America, Jimmy Gralton returns to Ireland and must once again fight the 'masters and the pastors' to protect the rights of ordinary poor Irishmen. Typically heartfelt and beautifully staged and shot.	8	Gordon
	I, Daniel Blake	2016	Will make you laugh, cry and rage about the hypocrisy and bureaucracy of the welfare state as a man who is too unwell to work finds he is not entitled to incapacity benefits and a young mother struggles to provide for her kids.	9	Gordon
	Sorry We Missed You	2019	Another depressing slice of real Britain in Ken Loach's indictment of the zero hour and gig economies. Not as powerful as I, Daniel Blake but still carries a punch.	7	Gordon

The Verdict

• Cathy Come Home
• Poor Cow
• Kes
• Family Life
• Black Jack
• Looks and Smiles
• Fatherland
• Hidden Agenda
• Riff-Raff
• Raining Stones
• Ladybird Ladybird
• Land and Freedom
• Carla's Song
• My Name is Joe
• Bread and Roses
• The Navigators
• Sweet Sixteen
• Ae Fond Kiss
• Tickets (Ken Loach segment only)
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley
• It's a Free World...
• Looking for Eric
• Route Irish
• The Angel's Share
• Jimmy's Hall
• I, Daniel Blake
• Sorry We Missed You

3.9

Summary

Whilst it is likely that your political leanings will affect how highly you regard Ken Loach’s work, it is clear that he is one of the all time greats of British film-making. With over 50 years of output that explores a century of social struggles across not just Britain but also Ireland, Nicaragua, America and Eastern Europe, Loach has certainly made a name for himself as a protest film maker. His work with regular collaborator Paul Laverty shows the versatility of both men and the ability to find real humour in even the most depressing of situations.

Despite reversing his previous threats of retirement whenever a new Tory government gets voted in, Ken Loach is at the time of writing 84 years old and although released both ‘I, Daniel Blake’ and ‘Sorry We Missed You’ in his eighties, it is unlikely we will see him helm another feature. If this is the case it will be a terrible shame for the industry, but his back catalogue will shine strong for many, many more years to come.

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DIRECTORS LEAGUE

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