I, Daniel Blake (2016)

[Foggy]

Ken Loach’s New Film ‘I, Daniel Blake’ Reduced Cannes Film Festival Critics To Tears

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Director Ken Loach denounced the British government's "conscious cruelty" towards the poor Friday after his film about the poverty and humiliation inflicted upon them by welfare cuts had critics at the Cannes film festival in tears.

The left-wing director, who turns 80 this year and is known for shining a light on the downtrodden, also got lengthy applause and shouts of "Bravo!" at a press conference after "I, Daniel Blake" was screened.

It tells of carpenter Daniel Blake's Kafkaesque journey to get benefits in Britain after suffering a heart attack and being told by doctors he can no longer work.

But an invisible and oft-cited "decision-maker" rules he is too healthy for benefits.

Blake befriends a young single mother of two who is sanctioned for being late to the benefits centre, leaving her with no money for food.

"The most vulnerable people are told their poverty is their own fault," Loach told reporters. "If you have no work it is your fault that you haven't got a job.

"It is shocking. It is not an issue just for people in our country, it is throughout Europe and there is a conscious cruelty in the way we are organising our lives now," he said.

Because Blake is denied illness benefits he is forced to apply for assistance for unemployment.

That in turn forces him to spend hours hunting for jobs which he has to turn down because he is too sick to work.

- Suicide training -

Loach said that in researching the film, those who carry out assessments of people like Daniel admitted they were "given instructions on how to deal with potential suicides."

The movie's writer Paul Laverty said the research team was stunned at how people with mental health issues and disabilities were targeted by the welfare cuts.

He said people interviewed within the Department for Work and Pensions told them "they were humiliated at how they were forced to treat the public. There is nothing accidental about it."

The story taps into the despair over rising unemployment and austerity in Europe after the financial crisis.

"When I read the script I thought we have really got to make this straight away, it's such an important story to tell," producer Rebecca O'Brien said.

The movie was warmly received by critics and Variety magazine called it "a work of scalding and moving relevance."

Stand-up comedian and lead actor Dave Johns, who comes from Newcastle in the north east of England where the film is set, tweeted his delight at the notices: "Blown away by the reviews for our film I Daniel Blake. Let's hope it shames those that should be shamed into change."

Some of the most excruciating scenes in the film show Blake's frustrations in trying to understand how to use a computer to appeal the decision cutting his benefit.

Another has the young mother he befriends, Katie, tearing open a tin of baked beans and shovelling the contents into her mouth with her hand.

At a photocall for his film's premiere Loach, in a typically down to earth touch, went to shake hands with photographers.

The director and both his main actors have a working-class background and the actress who plays the young single mother, Katie -- Hayley Squires -- said her mother still lives in social housing.

Squires slammed anti-welfare "propaganda" that she said has turned working class people against each other.

"Normal people are led to believe that this amount of people are on benefits and are therefore scroungers, and this amount of people are going to work to pay so that they can scrounge.

"They've left us to argue among ourselves so they can keep doing what they are doing."

Loach agreed: "It's how the far right rises, isn't it? It's how the far right rises."

I, DANIEL BLAKE - KEN LOACH - EXTRAIT VOSTF - YouTube

I, DANIEL BLAKE - KEN LOACH - EXTRAIT 2 - VOSTF - YouTube

Currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

[Foggy]

Won the Palme D'Or this past weekend:

Ken Loach wins second Cannes Palme d'Or - YouTube

Retrospect on Ken Loach past few years:

Kermode Uncut: Loach Cannes Do - YouTube

[levcore]

As someone who has in the past worked for the DWP and worked in jobcentres this film interests me. However I wholly disagree with a lot quoted above. Based on those quotes it would seem that Loach has a very black and white view of the situation. I will have to see the movie to decide though.

Very pertinent subject matter though.

[Ultra_Violence]

Loach does social commentary unlike anyone else. He has done films up and down Britain, there and back again and from what I've seen has more or less hit the nail on the head everytime.

[Impossible]

Originally Posted by levcore

As someone who has in the past worked for the DWP and worked in jobcentres this film interests me. However I wholly disagree with a lot quoted above. Based on those quotes it would seem that Loach has a very black and white view of the situation. I will have to see the movie to decide though.

Very pertinent subject matter though.

Exactly. Things have changed a lot over the past couple of years.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by Impossible

Exactly. Things have changed a lot over the past couple of years.

Well in the past I thought they were far too soft on people so I hear they've clamped down a lot now which I'm glad to hear. Based on the above quotes I'm not sure I'll agree with Loach's perspective on the situation.

[thewerepuppygrr]

Saw this at Odeon 'Screen Unseen' last night. Very typically Loach which is why I thought it was excellent. Hard to watch but very powerful. One scene in particular broke me

[Show spoiler]the food bank scene

- there were some outstanding performances in this, especially from Hayley Squires. I hope to see more from her in future.

I can understand the criticism that this is a very one-sided view of the benefits system but really it didn't matter to me. The point was that it was this guy trying to do the right thing and was being constantly ground down by the system. I have family who have taken care of people who were caught in the same trap and there really is no exaggeration in what Loach portrays.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by thewerepuppygrr

Saw this at Odeon 'Screen Unseen' last night. Very typically Loach which is why I thought it was excellent. Hard to watch but very powerful. One scene in particular broke me

[Show spoiler]the food bank scene

- there were some outstanding performances in this, especially from Hayley Squires. I hope to see more from her in future.

I can understand the criticism that this is a very one-sided view of the benefits system but really it didn't matter to me. The point was that it was this guy trying to do the right thing and was being constantly ground down by the system. I have family who have taken care of people who were caught in the same trap and there really is no exaggeration in what Loach portrays.

Agree with everything. There were one or two moments when the system was a bit too antagonistic, but I think that is to cover all possible areas. I know one story I have heard about a guy who suffered bad with dyslexia and received help from friends to filled in the 30 hours work search and everytime he went in to present the written up proof, they wouldn't accept it, and would direct him by sending him to the job board and read what had been placed on there.

[thewerepuppygrr]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Agree with everything. There were one or two moments when the system was a bit too antagonistic, but I think that is to cover all possible areas. I know one story I have heard about a guy who suffered bad with dyslexia and received help from friends to filled in the 30 hours work search and everytime he went in to present the written up proof, they wouldn't accept it, and would direct him by sending him to the job board and read what had been placed on there.

It's like a bad joke. I saw something the other day about a man who was told he'd have to interview for a job by phone. The number was premium and he had no credit because - guess what? - he had no job. He had £20 a week for himself and his son to live on and the council kept telling him he needed to do more to maintain his rental property, like his priority was to go out and buy a load of paint.

Obviously there are a lot of people who do cheat the system and who really are 'scroungers', but they only serve to make it more difficult for the genuine people.

[Member-244966]

I saw this at Odeon Screen Unseen last night, and I was completely overwhelmed. It's amazing how refreshing a bit of realism can be; don't get me wrong, I love Hollwood movies but this was a much different change of pace and somehow still as enjoyable. I live in an area of England very similar to the area in the film, and just about every part of it was spot on, particularly the dialogue. This IS how people speak, these are the arguments they get into, I've seen these happen in public and it's just perfectly done. This was quite a sobering film for me; whilst I live in this bad area, I actually work in a very middle-upper class area and as a result, spend more time there than I do in my own hometown. Almost every day, I serve people who have it all. Nice clothes, great jobs, excellent cars, and a shit ton of money. Now I'm not trying to blast the rich for being rich, but being around this all the time has lead to me forgetting just how bad it can be for some people, when a simple walk through my hometown can tell you that as well. This was an emotional roller coaster that was genuinely hilarious and often heartbreaking, but always enticing and in some ways, rewarding. It's definitely not a satisfying film in places (

[Show spoiler]The ending...Good Lord

), but it's an enriching and powerful film that has a message to convey and does it brilliantly.

A

[dancerslegs]

Intrigued. Hope it gets more than a perfunctory release stateside.

[Hucksta G]

Looking around at the end of my screening I don't think there was a dry eye in house.

[Dubstar]

IFC/Sundance Selects really screwed over the US theatrical release of this ... saw this at the AFI EU Film showcase in December, and with a NYC/LA run at the end of December - I haven't heard boo if there is a select city release date - I have a friend who wants to see this, but I can't seem to find any info when and if this is happening.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

IFC/Sundance Selects really screwed over the US theatrical release of this ... saw this at the AFI EU Film showcase in December, and with a NYC/LA run at the end of December - I haven't heard boo if there is a select city release date - I have a friend who wants to see this, but I can't seem to find any info when and if this is happening.

Seriously, they did the same with Dheepan. I ended up seeing that one while in Montreal.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by starman15317

Seriously, they did the same with Dheepan. I ended up seeing that one while in Montreal.

exactly! IFC also had the US theatrical rights and didn't get around to releasing it til May (2016)

goes to show even with two Palm D'Or winning movies IFC will still treat it like sh shit

IFC has become the new New Yorker Films their ego and distribution of movies reeks of elitism or rhyme or reason

[Dubstar]

Landmark is also being purposefully vague as well - they dont have immediate plans to book this at any of their four theater complexes in the Washington DC area.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

I've been a big Ken Loach fan for years, and recently watched I, Daniel Blake on Blu. Incredible. What an amazing cinematic experience. This is definitely one of Loach's top films (of the ones I've seen), which is saying a lot - since he's been directing for 50 years.

Very sad that Blake had to keep looking for work & at the same time couldn't accept a job (even though he wanted to) due to the contradictory requirements of the system he was forced to deal with, re: his health status. That being said, I know there are people out there who are lazy & fully capable of working, but take advantage of the system. I get that, and I know these people need to be weeded out. But, I'm also sure there are people out there like Daniel Blake who genuinely want to work, but have obstacles put in front of them - as was presented in the film.

It's also unfortunate that Blake was in the situation he was in at all, since at his age most people should be able to at least start thinking about retirement - not having to continue to work. However, many people have to work until they die - which is unfortunate.

One of the most touching aspects to the film was the genuine friendship that Blake formed with Katie, the young & poor single mother. Very nice to see the scenes when Blake was helping her out by assisting her around her house, watching her kids when she couldn't be home, etc. It was also touching to see how he bonded with her kids. IRL & in film, it's rare to see an older guy form a friendship with a younger woman - without expecting anything in return from her.

[Show spoiler]The later scenes where Katie was forced to become an escort/prostitute (for financial reasons) were not at all unexpected.

The final scene where Blake died of a heart attack/stroke (just before he was going to present his case before the board) were quite heartbreaking and shocking - but, when I thought about it, not at all unexpected either.

Though this film was quite depressing/sad, it's still one of the most extraordinary movies I've seen in the past ten years, and definitely one of my top 5 films of 2016.