User reviews

Winning awards and nominations at Cannes, Sweet Sixteen continues director Ken Loach's devotion to social awareness. After using film that directly affected legislative reform (Cathy Come Home) in 1965, his work has spanned the globe and a wide variety of social ills and with very varying fortunes in marketability. Sweet Sixteen looks at adolescent delinquency and the difficulties faced by youths who try desperately to escape the downward spiral that ruins their lives forever. The script, in broad Scots dialect, has an urgency and reality to it. The young actors come mostly from the deprived areas of Western Scotland where the film is set, many of them first-timers and of an age where they would not legally be admitted to the film. The scriptwriter bitterly attacked the BBFC over its ‘18' certificate decision, which was based mostly on the aggressive use of strong language. Meanwhile, English distributors looked at the use of subtitles to help adults south of the border cope.

The story follows 15-year old Liam (played by 17-yr old football player Martin Compston) as a youth who is determined to have a normal family life once his mother gets out of prison. The drug-dealing boyfriend of his mother and his empty-headed companion ‘Pinball', do little to make his quest easier. He opts for ‘means to an end' – a simple enough mistake we feel for a young boy in his circumstances. The consequences, of course, are told with shocking realism. Will the film have the sort of impact that ‘Cathy Come Home' had on homeless laws, and mean more attention is given to real support for youths in disadvantaged areas, rather than simply throwing money at the unwinnable war against drug dealing? The long list of agencies thanked in the closing credits shows how the people in the know pin their hopes on Loach – one of Britain's finest and conscience-filled directors – and one of our most ignored.

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.

As someone who comes from Greenock originally, my first draw to this movie was curiosity. Having said that, I fell completely for the story of Liam. His character, played by Martin Compston, could be one of many lads that I grew up with. The need to be 'one of the big boys' an all prevalent force in this deprived, former shipbuilding town; even if that need is self destructive. The performances are stellar throughout, only the mother's character is weak. I am unsure if this is deliberate, or bad acting. Perhaps the film could have explored the lack of employment and the sectarian divide more, however it does tackle the drugs issue very well indeed. The other thing that may put people off is the language. There is nothing unusual about the frequency or the strength of it for Grenockians. But it is more usual for a filmmaker to give an essence rather than soak the audience in every single word.

It doesn't get any more nakedly gritty than this. This is a movie for

anyone who thinks that kids who grow up to be drug addicts and

drug users have only themselves to blame. What's particularly

disturbing is how the biggest antagonists for Liam, and his friend

Pinball are not people their own age, but rather adults. Some

scenes are very unnerving and hard to watch simply because the

hazing and degradation that the fifteen-year-old characters endure

is at the hands of people who behave like insecure playground

bullies, but are members of a powerful organized crime force.

Even though I'm pretty close to the age of the main character, I can

barely imagine what the nightmarish experiences he endures

must be like.

The movie is emotionally devastating nearly all the way though. It's

moments of levity are welcome, but few. There's points where it

seems as though everything will turn out alright, but then

something else happens that throws everything off-course. For a

relaxing and enjoyable time, this is not a movie to see. But if you're

looking for something that will move you, shock you and really

make you think (and appreciate your own situation) than Sweet

Sixteen is the one too see.

10/10

I felt like I had been punched after I watched this film - it is one of the most powerful movies I have seen in a long time.

This is Ken Loach at his very best, with a wonderful script from Paul Laverty. A tragic, bittersweet tale of a young boys hope and optimism crushed by his uncaring family and the harsh world in which he lives. Despite the fact that this film is a tragedy, it is also very sweet, with some touching moments and a great deal of humour. There is also hope of a sort - the central character Liam has an older sister who cares about him deeply and is always there for him.

The acting is stellar, it is shot with finesse and all in all is a masterful piece of film making. See this.

From the opening scenes to the closing credits it was wonderful the acting the storyline the direction were wonderful, if this dosent move you nothing will, young Liam and Chantelles scene in the flat was so powerfull,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,a fantastic must see film

A typically excellent Ken Loach dramatic testament to the plight of the common man, "Sweet Sixteen" brings the forces of adversity and the futility of naive courage into bold relief with this hopeful examination of one boy's struggle to make a better life for himself and his loser mother. Don't look for a happy ending to this dreary, drab but compelling drama which could easily be labeled a "downer". Recommended only for realists into foreign films. (B+)

Note - This film does have English subtitles making it more user friendly for those who find the thick Scot dialect difficult to understand.

Greenock is just down the road from where I live, in fact there's rivalry bordering on enmity between the town where I work, Paisley and Greenock, where this super-realistic Ken Loach film was made. I can therefore completely identify from first-hand observation, although rarely, thankfully from experience, the young, foul mouthed, ill-mannered, drug-dependant, "neds" (non-educated delinquents), who largely populate the film. In fact, in their tracksuit and trainers garb, they still roam the streets today, usually in a zombie-like, drug-hazed trance.

The central character of the film, young Liam and his best-mate Pinball obviously don't go to school and out on the streets, work the margins, both small-time partners, roaming the local pubs selling cigarettes on the fly. Liam's mum is in prison, presumably on drugs-related charges and is due for release soon, but she's in tow with a hardened, petty criminal boy-friend who Liam hates, while also in the family mix is Liam's older sister, a single parent with a young child, who doesn't get on with their mum and bizarrely, a grandfather who's into the same petty crime as the mother's boyfriend. A chance discovery of the boyfriend's drug-stash gives the soon-to-be-sixteen year-old a golden chance to make big money quickly and buy a dream caravan for the family to make a literally clean start but instead leads him into a shady underworld of crime and violence.

Everyone lets Liam down in the film, eventually himself too and at the end, we see him in the time-honoured teenage mixed-up confusion traceable all the way back to Mod Jimmy in "Quadrophenia" and of course the original cause-less rebel of James Dean. The language and violence in the film are extreme but trust me, true to life and the little snippets of humour get steadily darker as the film progresses. Liam's progress from early-on comically getting a reversing truck to run over a policeman's motorbike in a gag used before by Woody Allen to the "sting" he falls victim to when required to stab a man to death in an underworld initiation test shows how far he comes / falls in his journey into darkness.

Filmed in real locations certainly familiar to me and without his sometime trait of attendant sentimentality, I think this is one of the best Ken Loach films I've seen. The acting by the exclusively Scottish and often first-time actors is mostly convincing, with Compston in particular showing the talent that has deservedly kept him in work ever since, although usually in rather typecast strong, silent parts in movies and on TV.

This was a believable, gritty warts-and-all slice of life of a random teenager's nowhere existence in the grey, economic wasteland of latter day West of Scotland. It's grim up north, believe me.

I saw this film at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival. A completely charming mix of hope and despair set in Greenock, a troubled suburb of Glasgow. Fifteen-year old Liam spends his time trying to scrounge enough money to buy a caravan (trailer) for his mom and him to live in when she's released from prison. He needs money fast, and decides to cut in on his mom's boyfriend's heroin trade. Of course, he's soon in way over his head. Among the rest of the non-professional cast, Martin Compston's performance floored me. He captures that period between childhood and adulthood with just the right mix of emotions. He was sitting in the seat right behind me and when the film was over, I turned to him, speechless, and just shook his hand.

This film received very good reviews and it's even got a screenplay award in Cannes. I'm still not able to figure out why. This is not even close to Loach's best works such as "Riff-Raff", "My name is Joe" or "Land and Freedom". This is a story that's been retold more than a thousand times before. Here I couldn't find a single moment that has a message that stands on its own. Not to mention that the whole movie is nothing but a complete rip-off (was it intentional I don't know) of Truffaut's classic "400 Blows" (especially the last scene which was literally taken from its inspirational origins). Loach's directing is very good (and so are the protagonists) and he did made his point but I question myself why should I watch this when I got Truffaut and the message that's universal and always hits the target.

The kind of film I usually intend to see but don't end up seeing. In this case I did see it and was handsomely rewarded. I expected it to be a little on the depressing side but found it strangely uplifting. Perhaps because you realise that you don't have it so bad after all. Perhaps because it was extremely tight - with no needless scenes. I half expected the protag's relationship with the girl to result in a teenage sex scene. But it didn't and there's no way it would have fitted in with the film's race towards it's inevitable conclusion. Inevitable but not exactly predictable either. Stunning.

I went into this film with no preconceptions about its nature. I was expecting a sort of bittersweet coming-of-age tale judging by the title alone. What i got was a gritty uncompromising tale of growing up in a drug infested section of Scotland. A very intelligent 15yr old youth is determined to reassemble his family upon the emanate return of his incarcerated Mother. He manages, with a certain tragic costs, to assimilate himself into the local crime gang and upon his mother's release from prison he is greeted with somewhat shocking repercussion's that lead to tragic consequences. The film rings true in every sense. We are treated to insights into lower-class Scottish society that maintain an authenticity that is hard to fake. All the performances are deftly handled and the script keeps you hanging on until the end. Overall, a very fine film.

Liam is a teenager surrounded by crime and poverty all around him. His step-father and grandfather having him smuggling drugs in to his mother's prison for her to sell on, while his activities with friend pinball can only politely be described as "anti-social". With his mother due to be released in only a few months, Liam is determined to get her a new start along with him, his sister and her young son. However his opportunities for getting money to set them up is limited and he steals drugs from his step-father's stash and tries to deal them off as quick as possible to make the money he needs.

At times watching a Ken Loach film is a bit like being having your face pushing down into something unpleasant for two hours; occasionally you get to come up and take a breath of fresh air but you are quickly pushed right back down again soon enough. So it is with Sweet Sixteen, which sets us down in a Scottish world of poverty and crime where "opportunity" is having a good supply and a good spot to sell, while being seen as having "potential" means that you can sell without using the stash yourself. Typically for those trapped within this sort of world, the goal is to get out of the situation but using the situation to do it but, unlike Jay Z, the story rarely sees the protagonists living to rich old lives married to the sexiest pop diva around.

In Liam's story his hope is not to become rich but just to get out of the area and hopefully get a normal life with his mother. The entrapping nature of his world is seen in the need to get in deeper in order to get out and so it goes. The gritty, depressing locations and the frequent, strong language are only cosmetic things that suggest the problem because really the grittiness is all in the characters and their situations. Laverty's script brings these out well without ever making it come over a preaching or hand-wringing, instead he just presents it for what it is, which is far from cheerful. It is depressing watching but yet quite compelling and convincing as it paints a world where "bettering oneself" is nothing more than liberal wishful thinking. Although tit isn't fair to criticise this story for being unrelentingly bleak, it is hard to watch it and, once seen, I cannot imagine why anyone would wish to rewatch it again even within the medium term.

The cast work well with the script though. Compston is convincingly ratty and very much the type of kid that most of us would avoid eye-contact with; however he manages to find the person in there early on, so that he can then do a good job of losing that same person as it goes on. Ruane has a simpler role but works OK it in, likewise Fulton, Abercromby and others all turn in natural performances. Credit to Loach again because he has drawn out convincing performances despite working with a mostly young cast.

There is no getting away from the fact that this is a depressing and bleak portrayal of life in poverty but, although not one you'll watch over and over again, it is an impressive and engaging film.

Throughout his career, Ken Loach has made a number of movies focusing on class issues in the United Kingdom. His "Poor Cow" and "Kes" are examples, while "Hidden Agenda" and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" showed the British government's brutal treatment of the Irish. His "Sweet Sixteen" could probably take place in any country, but in this case the setting is Scotland. The protagonist is a teenage boy whose mother is about to get out of jail. The boy has no apparent future, so he hangs around with criminals. The inevitable result of a society that ignores entire segments of its population.

I recommend watching the movie with subtitles. Due to the Inverclyde accents, I couldn't understand what they were saying half the time. That of course emphasizes how these are the common people. The majority of the UK's populace doesn't live like the characters on "Downton Abbey". Most of them are working class folks; it's a safe bet that the Brexit vote, damaging as it was, came about because large swaths of the population felt that successive governments had sold them out.

I recommend this movie, as I have ever Loach movie that I've seen. It's a hard-hitting look at the plight of working-class people. It's like a Martin Scorsese movie with a more naturalistic feeling. One scene reminded me of the movie "Shopping" (which made England look like a war zone).

PS: After Margaret Thatcher died, Ken Loach proposed that her funeral should've been privatized, since she would've wanted it that way.

The film gives an alternative and "non-tourist" view over Glasgow area where drugs, alcohol and violence are daily part of life and struggle through this is impossible without outside support. Autumn grayness accentuates the daily gloom and moments of hope are too brief - and always associated with a "catch". Ken Loach is a gifted director and the plot intensity is excellently exploited, but the script itself is too lopsided to me.

As for the actors, Martin Compston as Liam outperforms all the others; he is really great in portraying a soon-to-be 16-years-old "ned" as they say in Scotland. Other characters are too briefly on screen and at times incomprehensible (e.g. Pinball).

Sweet Sixteen could be a strong warning film for teens, but due to hard language it is forbidden to minors in most countries... It is no family film anyway.

As powerful and moving as the best of Ken Loach's recent films (eg Raining Stones, My Name is Joe), this features an outstanding cast of mainly first-time actors. It's scandalous that the film has been given an 18 certificate by the BBFC, solely, it seems, because of strong language, and that people of the same age as the main characters in the film probably won't be able to see it in the cinema.

I saw no ray of hope in this film at all. It was a journey down a tunnel with no exit. I admire Ken Loach, and his intentions are good, but there is a determimistic aesthetic about his work that reminds me of Emile Zola. This film begins in the gutter of life and after many scenes of ' inevitable ' misery literally ends up on a desolate beach. Is his analysis of people caught in social traps excessive ? The young lead whp played Liam was good, and so was the rest of the cast. but the endless drugs, the pitiful beatings and especially the actor playing Liam's friend attacking his own face in an act of self-laceration was terrible to watch. Melodrama seemed always on the fringe of events, and the pile up of the odds against Liam are so overwhelming ( a mother in prison, a nasty family ) weighs too heavily upon the film, and for me stacked the odds of Liam's escape from it inevitably futile. As a cinematic experience the film is well made and visually there seemed a glamour to sad events that mitigated against the content of the film; the use of right colour tones and faultless camera work. I would have preferred it in black and white, and starker images for this scenario of crime and unfair punishment to look real. In colour the blood is an Edvard Munch ' Scream ' and the characters too good looking, and in such a deprived world why do they all have such perfect teeth ? Not a small point that as it adds to the ( to me ) glamour of drugs and violence. I was not concerned with the boring swearing, but I was concerned that most of the dialogue was incomprehensible. I would run a mile for a new Dardenne brothers film, but am reluctant to go as far for Ken Loach. Their worlds are not that far apart, but there is real tragedy and hope in the Dardennes films whereas in Loach's films plot rules over complex character. A reluctant 7 as I realise Ken Loach is a good director, but perhaps not on my wavelength. I saw it on a television channel without subtitles. A bad start for understanding.

Ken Loach has accustomed us to indicting the society indifference to all what occurs to underprivileged British classes. I watched better films of his, such as "My name is Joe" and "Carla's song", but "Sweet Sixteen" has a dramatic sense that is really emotional. The director portrays in a lacerating way these sad lives, ineluctably taking to violence and crime; obviously, his political point of view is fixed and definite, but the way he presents the plights of unlucky people is memorable, as he shows situations full of anger, heart and frustration; tout ensemble, I would say it's another piece of genuine screen realism, with skillful and fine acting.

This film was a close study film for my AS Film Studies examination, and I have honestly fell in love with it.

It sends a striking message towards how the 'not so better off' side of society have to live and perform their day to day routine.

Ken Loach is a director who's purpose is to point out these 'bad points' of life and show them in a different light so that everybody can relate and understand that dramatic lifestyle.

Martin Compston is amazing as Liam, showing humour, pain, humiliation and above all commitment to his chosen path.

I agree completely with Ken Loach's and Paul Laverty's disgust at the film being certified as an 18. I am 17 and can completely relate to the language used by the characters within the story - that is how teens today speak!

This is a real return to form for Loach. Echoes of much of his earlier work, but it avoids the political narrative and one-dimensional bad guys.

The performances from the debut cast excellent. Loach perfectly captures the mobile phone, joy-riding boredom of British teenagers in 2002.