Ireland 1920: workers from field and country unite to form volunteer guerrilla armies to face the ruthless ‘Black and Tan’ squads that are being shipped from Britain to block Ireland’s bid for independence. Driven by a deep sense of duty and a love for his country, Damien abandons his burgeoning career as a doctor and joins his brother, Teddy, in a dangerous and violent fight for freedom. As the freedom fighters’ bold tactics bring the British to breaking point, both sides finally agree to a treaty to end the bloodshed. But despite the apparent victory, civil war erupts and families who fought side by side find themselves pitted against one another as sworn enemies, putting their loyalties to the ultimate test.
Unlike virtually all his contemporaries, Ken Loach has never succumbed to the siren call of Hollywood, and it’s virtually impossible to imagine his particular brand of British socialist realism translating well to that context. After studying law at St. Peter’s College, Oxford, he branched out into the theater, performing with a touring repertory company. This led to television, where in alliance with producer ‘Tony Garnett’ he produced a series of docudramas, most notably the devastating “Cathy Come Home” episode of “The Wednesday Play” (1964), whose impact was so massive that it led directly to a change in the homeless laws. He made his feature debut Poor Cow (1967) the following year, and with “Kes”, he produced what is now acclaimed as one of the finest films ever made in Britain. However, the following two decades saw his career in the doldrums with his films poorly distributed (despite the obvious quality of work such as The Gamekeeper (1968) (TV) and Looks and Smiles (1981… read more
Il dramma di una nazione, quella irlandese in lotta contro il dominio inglese e lo "scontro" tra idealismo e ambizione politica visti con gli occhi del regista "labour" più famoso del mondo.
A devastating, multi-faceted piece documenting the birth of the IRA. The performances are brilliant; Cillian Murphy has never been better indeed. Gritty, violent, shocking but never without heart - this is one of the most compelling movies I have watched about British imperialism and the divisiveness that their policies caused during the earlier half of the 20th century, especially their own backyard.
This was my first Ken Loach film. Even being unfamiliar with his work this film speaks very clearly. While I can see why people would complain about the visual style being too simplistic, I see it as just being the way Loach chose to present his story; straightforward, allowing it to speak for itself. His humanism is what shines through. I feel that those who count his style against him aren't looking deep enough.
I do not at all get the accusations of over-simplicity! there's poetry in every frame :') the subtle movement, the delicate framing, and the way it allows every action and gesture space. Perfect storytelling.
Even as he turns 75 today, Ken Loach carries on working. The BBC spotted him just the other day shooting in a Scottish distillery; his next
"Ken Loach will arrive fashionably late at this week's Cannes film festival — his latest drama has just been confirmed as a last-minute
"As the bloody sectarian horror show of Northern Ireland in the 20th century has tapered off in the headlines, so has much of its currency
“Le vent se lève” n’est pas une grande fresque historique hollywoodienne et c’est peut-être pour cela qu’il désarçonne quelque peu le spectateur. C’est un film plutôt intimiste et allégorique qui montre… read review
(December 2007)
“I didn’t knew what to expect. Never saw a Ken Loach movie before. I don’t want to talk about the direction, nor the script, nor the damn photography. I don’t think that we can… read review
I knew I was watching an absolutely brilliant, amazing film about 15 minutes into it. The protagonist, Damien, a doctor on his way to London for a new job, witnesses two atrocities committed by British… read review
War films — like other genres defined by a singular, restrictive theme — suffer from the success of their predecessors. Once you’ve seen a few brilliant samples of the genre, the rest starts to feel… read review