Sweet Sixteen

Ken Loach makes films of political power and emotional intensity. If he has a flaw as a film-maker, it is that the overall body of his work is insufficiently varied, and that the same basic narrative (of essentially decent people fighting and ultimately failing to overcome their disadvantages) re-appears in a different setting in each successive film. 'Sweet Sixteen' is, however, one of his better works, in part because he resists the temptation (as sometimes he does not) to place a hero with a heart of gold at it's centre. What we have instead is a horrifyingly believable story of an ordinary kid getting into bigger and bigger trouble. Every detail convinces, and the quality of performances Loach entices from his inexperienced cast is of the highest order: the film is also a sobering reminder of the underside of life in Blair's Britain. Loach has a rare talent: it's on display here, but don't expect any surprises.