The struggle of a Carpenter with a weak heart fighting for his right to benefits, when his doctor deems him unfit to work, he befriends a young single mum in a similar situation, unable to make ends meat to feed her young children. This is fight for justice against the welfare bureaucracy.
There has been a lot of talk and hype over Ken Loach’s film after it received a standing ovation at the official screening at Cannes film festival, over the summer. It is a bold attempt to highlight the flaws in the department of working pensions and send a message that things need to change. The film feels almost like a documentary in places. It is shot like a typical British hard-hit drama, with blue-grey unsaturated colours and everyday Newcastle locations. It captures a fly-on-the-wall insight into the life of Daniel Blake, Loach’s clever camera and setting takes us to the heart of his life from the start of the film and this keeps us emotionally attached throughout. There is no hiding when it comes to the reality of the difficulties faced with the benefits system. The main difficulty being that the system doesn’t treat each person as an individual, they are just cases, not human beings. Although Loach is determined to make sure that this is not just some modest socialist film about some guy on benefits. This is about Daniel Blake.
Daniel Blake played by Dave Johns; more commonly known for his comedy, plays the down to earth, downtrodden, ‘ordinary bloke’ in a very authentic and realistic way. Unfortunately some of the other acting isn’t quite up to the same standard and doesn’t feel quite as real but this does not detract from the film due to the realness of the subject. There is an immediate connection to Daniel Blake; he has something that everyone can identify with, whether it’s his wit, his friendly neighbourly chats, his technological difficulties or his unrewarded kindness. He is a man that we all know. The connection between him and Katie (Hayley Squires) again brings the story to life. The extremely raw and uncensored humiliation that is remarkably performed by Hayley creates a bitter tone the film, and underlying sense of anger at the how so many people could fail one person. If there is a character to signify the desperation felt when you hit rock bottom, Katie fits this perfectly.
On the other hand, in places, the tone seems light and there is an air of disbelief at how ridiculous the system can be. The characters in the job centre very realistic, yet easy to laugh at and mock their ignorance. The humour is cynical of the system and mocks the rigid and ridiculous exactness of the regulations. Although if not convinced that there is a much darker meaning to this film the end highlights the consequences to these situations and shows that while laughing at the system its flaws, Loach portrays a clear message that this is a serious issue. Loach hits the correct balance between truth, amusement, and the severity of the problems with the benefits system in which he is portraying.
A good hard-hitting British film, not without its faults, some continuity errors, under-par child acting, but above all of this the direction and impact of the story is outstanding. The simplicity of the film and truth is what makes the film truly hit home: it’s real, something not seen enough in modern cinema.
7/10
Image: Wikepedia
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