First Take: I, Daniel Blake- a Palme D’or winning masterclass

SYPNOSIS: A middle aged carpenter who requires state welfare after injuring himself is joined by a single mother in a similar scenario.

It is incredibly difficult to talk about a Ken Loach film without bringing politics into the equation. This is something that I am going to try and avoid in this review of Loach’s latest work, and with a plot very much grounded in reality, this is a harrowing tale of truth.

It is very clear to say that this is a film that is directed with passion by Loach, who came out of retirement to tell this very real story that is crafted with ease by frequent collaborator Paul Laverty. This brilliant combination of director and screenwriter have made a piece of cinema that is very difficult to watch at points due to its subject matter, yet still has some comic elements to ease the audience into the brutal world of working class Newcastle. This is not a pretty film to watch, especially as this is a film that is very much of the arthouse quality, but rest assured: Loach knows what he is doing with this film.

Dave Johns puts in some incredible work as Daniel, and for his big screen acting debut he excels at portraying a very multi-faceted character while also using his background as a stand-up comedian to inject some humour into proceedings. When he’s paired with Hayley Squires, this is where the film excels, as both of their performances come together to make something much bigger. And when it comes to the cinematography, Robbie Ryan frames this film in such a way that each hard hitting scene is shot with enough distance to really hit viewers in ways they’ve never felt.

THE VERDICT

Emotionally hitting and rooted in realism, I, Daniel Blake succeeds in its aim of telling the story of thousands of people in the UK. The Palme d'Or is fully deserved. And while this isn’t a mainstream release, it’s certainly had a big impact in the film industry.

RATING: 5/5