I, Daniel Blake

After suffering a heart attack on the job, a marginalized widowed carpenter (Dave Johns) attempts to maintain his dignity while being forced to jump through hoop after hoop to qualify for disability benefits while befriending a downtrodden single mother (Hayley Squires) up against the same bludgeoning system. With a rich, humanistic performance from Johns, Ken Loach's minimalist story, which resonates all the more in its few powerful moments, hits the nail on the head with its attacks on a steely, uncaring bureaucracy but is surprisingly artificial in the trite scenarios involving Squires. An especially Loachian finale is riotous, solemn, and embraceable.

*** 1/2 out of ****

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

In 1919 Ireland, a medical novice (Cillian Murphy) leaves a promising career to fight in a guerrilla unit alongside his brother and fellow countrymen against the encroaching British soldiers seeking to disrupt their bid for independence. Ken Loach's The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a two hour socialist sermon from a brilliant and empathetic director, here employing his craft to the finest degree in drafting a powerful, involving, no punches pulled account, and all beautifully shot against a verdant background.

*** out of ****

Kes

Born in an impoverished British working class community, browbeaten by his classmates, teachers, and older brother and destined for the coal mines, a young boy finds comfort in his pet falcon which he rescues from the forest as he studiously teaches himself the art of falconry.  From Barry Hines' novel A Kestrel for a Knave, Ken Loach's early career triumph of the human spirit is a lovely, little heartbreaking film. with an innate performance from David Bradley, maybe the best youth performance ever committed to film, and insightful sociopolitical commentary not shoved in your face which could serve as a lesson to modern civic minded filmmakers. Funny, moving, beautifully done. I loved this movie!

**** out of ****

Jimmy's Hall

After a decade living in America, communist agitator Jimmy Gralton (Barry Ward) returns to his Irish country village to find the recently liberated people living in Depression-era squalor and under the rule of ruthless Church backed landowners. In response he erects a town hall, used for purposes political and otherwise, and draws the ire of a tenacious local cleric (Jim Norton). Ken Loach's Jimmy Hall is one sided. singular, and simple, though passionately made with the same presupposing scenic cinematography that commanded his The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Ward delivers a fine lead performance, Norton makes a veritable villain, and the picture contains several memorable and even powerful sequences: one at the hall where traditional Irish dancers are introduced to jazz, a heated debate among the clergy and their allies, and the hero's mother helping her son elude police capture.

*** out of ****

2010 CIFF Closing Night: Looking For Eric

May 2010 Lamplighter Review In a time when American comedies rely on gross-out gags and then expect us to care for infantile grown men, a humanistic British comedy like Looking for Eric is like a breath of fresh air. It is directed by Ken Loach and tells the story of a named Eric, wonderfully portrayed by Steve Evets. He is undergoing a mid-life crisis. His kids don't respect him, his ex-wife won't talk to him, and he has just been in a car crash. He eventually admits that he can’t remember the last time he was happy.

After some meditation exercises with friends, Eric is visited by an imaginary friend in the form of Eric Cantona (played by himself) the star player of the soccer powerhouse Manchester United in the 1990s and Eric's favorite player. As he begins to heed the advice from his make-believe hero, Eric begins to pick up the pieces of his life. From this description, you may think this is the usual tale of self-redemption, but if you think you know where this is going and how he gets there, you are sadly mistaken. We are lead down roads we cannot anticipate into an ending that is inspired and uproarious.

While engaging the viewer with its comedic elements, Looking for Eric also succeeds by drawing us in with its human elements, making us care about its characters. Though some of the characters are rough around the edges, the filmmakers have nothing but love for them and what results is a kind, observant, and profound film experience while managing to be utterly hysterical at the same time.

Original Review Well the time has come and closing night, the last film is upon us in my first volunteer year for the Cleveland International Film Festival. This year the film selected to close this years fest is Ken Loach's Looking For Eric and it was a truly wonderful selection. Looking for Eric stars a postman named Eric (a wonderful Steve Evets) who is undergoing a mid-life crisis. His kids don't respect him, his ex-wife won't talk to him, and he has just been in a car crash. He can't remember the last time he was happy. After some meditation exercises, Eric begins to see an imaginary friend in the form of Eric Cantona (played by himself) the star player of Manchester United in the 90s and Eric's favorite player. With advice from his hero, Eric begins to pick up the pieces of his life. But if you think you know where this is going and how he gets there you are sadly mistaken. This is the kind of British comedy that Americans just aren't capable of. It is kind, observant, and profoundly human while being utterly hysterical at the same time. What a great film to end a great film festival with.
***1/2