I, Daniel Blake Film Review: Extremely Emotional Film with a Political Foundation
BBC Films (BFI) production.
Palme d'Or winner (2nd win for Ken Loach).
This an extremely emotional film with a political foundation. The film focuses on two individuals, Daniel and Katie.
Dave Johns is Daniel, a 59 year old carpenter and a widower, who has recently suffered a heart attack. The film starts with a simple black screen with an audio recording of Daniel on a phone interview, dealing with an impersonal and heavily scripted Healthcare Adviser. The answers he gives result in 12 points, rather than the 15 required to claim benefits.
Daniel gets JSA and is forced to create a CV to circulate for jobs he is unable (unfit) to take. He is internet illiterate, and is finding it difficult to get to grips with the online world, although the DWP is digital by default. Daniel also needs to prove he is actively searching for work or he will lose some benefits. When he is finally offered work he has to turn it down on his doctor's advice so he gets sanctioned and the downward spiral continues. Daniel's resulting anger is something that we can all appreciate.
Hayley Squires was excellent as 'Katie', a single mum, forced to relocate to Newcastle due to the expensive rents charged in London. A friendship develops between Daniel and Katie, highlighting the importance of community. Daniel is happy to help struggling Katie because he's a good man with moral values, even despite his own situation. He uses his carpentry skills to help Katie with some simple home improvements, while her ambition is further study, what she calls 'return to her books'.
Katie joins an escort agency to earn money for some new school shoes for her daughter, after the ones she has have fallen apart yet again and the resultant teasing from the other school kids.
The food-bank scene towards the end of the film (though sensitively filmed ) is particularly heart-wrenching and difficult to watch.
The Government appears to be failing the poor and needy, this film is highlighting the problems of coldness and lack of humanity of the system that some of society find themselves in, this film captures brilliantly the frustration of dealing with the DWP.
The benefit claim process seems to be deliberately difficult, so difficult that most claimants simply give up, unfortunately most of what we see in this film you can imagine actually happening.
Another of Ken Loach's masterpieces 'Cathy Come Home' in 1966 resulted in the creation (or at least the acceleration) of the charity 'SHELTER', this film is bound to cause similar discussions.
I watch films several times every week, but this is the first time several audience members have stood to applaud a film at the end.
9/10.
Palme d'Or winner (2nd win for Ken Loach).
This an extremely emotional film with a political foundation. The film focuses on two individuals, Daniel and Katie.
Dave Johns is Daniel, a 59 year old carpenter and a widower, who has recently suffered a heart attack. The film starts with a simple black screen with an audio recording of Daniel on a phone interview, dealing with an impersonal and heavily scripted Healthcare Adviser. The answers he gives result in 12 points, rather than the 15 required to claim benefits.
Daniel gets JSA and is forced to create a CV to circulate for jobs he is unable (unfit) to take. He is internet illiterate, and is finding it difficult to get to grips with the online world, although the DWP is digital by default. Daniel also needs to prove he is actively searching for work or he will lose some benefits. When he is finally offered work he has to turn it down on his doctor's advice so he gets sanctioned and the downward spiral continues. Daniel's resulting anger is something that we can all appreciate.
Hayley Squires was excellent as 'Katie', a single mum, forced to relocate to Newcastle due to the expensive rents charged in London. A friendship develops between Daniel and Katie, highlighting the importance of community. Daniel is happy to help struggling Katie because he's a good man with moral values, even despite his own situation. He uses his carpentry skills to help Katie with some simple home improvements, while her ambition is further study, what she calls 'return to her books'.
Katie joins an escort agency to earn money for some new school shoes for her daughter, after the ones she has have fallen apart yet again and the resultant teasing from the other school kids.
The food-bank scene towards the end of the film (though sensitively filmed ) is particularly heart-wrenching and difficult to watch.
The Government appears to be failing the poor and needy, this film is highlighting the problems of coldness and lack of humanity of the system that some of society find themselves in, this film captures brilliantly the frustration of dealing with the DWP.
The benefit claim process seems to be deliberately difficult, so difficult that most claimants simply give up, unfortunately most of what we see in this film you can imagine actually happening.
Another of Ken Loach's masterpieces 'Cathy Come Home' in 1966 resulted in the creation (or at least the acceleration) of the charity 'SHELTER', this film is bound to cause similar discussions.
I watch films several times every week, but this is the first time several audience members have stood to applaud a film at the end.
9/10.
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