After hearing about the success of this film in the festival circuit, I had to check it out myself. I, Daniel Blake is a story about friendship and love. The film is predictable and familiar, but still intriguing with a good storyline. The titular character is a sad image for audiences that can connect with the complex topic. Daniel Blake struggles to receive state welfare after obtaining an injury from a previous job. The main reason why he cannot get what he needs is because of regulations towards the welfare state. Without going into too much detail, watching Blake's struggle with money starts off as a depressingly bleak look at current economic policies. Luckily, we get to watch Blake connect with other characters to share his optimistic outlook on life.
Dave Johns (Daniel Blake) and Hayley Squires (Katie) are a great duo, constantly bringing emotion into their roles. There is a scene in this film that reminds me of the emotion brought up in the argument between Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams in Manchester By The Sea. If you don't like slow character development, then this movie might not be for you. There is not a lot of action and crazy things rushing around the screen, but there is the subtlety of emotion provided by the cast. I had not seen a film from Ken Loach (The Wind That Shakes the Barley) before this one, and I'm interested in watching more of his works now.
The film is very heavily British and sometimes hard to understand because of its foreignness to American audiences. I would recommend seeing it with subtitles because I would have missed a lot of dialogue without them. Some research on the British healthcare system might also work in the viewer's favor, but it is not necessary if you have a basic understanding of the welfare system. Furthermore, a general outline of the film is predictable for this genre. There are no real twists in the film, with the typical dramatic themes that Paul Laverty (The Wind That Shakes the Barley) chooses to follow.
The Bottom Line: While this film is well-acted and quite emotional, it is predictable to viewers that are familiar with the genre and style of this filmmaking.
Score: 7/10
Dave Johns (Daniel Blake) and Hayley Squires (Katie) are a great duo, constantly bringing emotion into their roles. There is a scene in this film that reminds me of the emotion brought up in the argument between Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams in Manchester By The Sea. If you don't like slow character development, then this movie might not be for you. There is not a lot of action and crazy things rushing around the screen, but there is the subtlety of emotion provided by the cast. I had not seen a film from Ken Loach (The Wind That Shakes the Barley) before this one, and I'm interested in watching more of his works now.
The film is very heavily British and sometimes hard to understand because of its foreignness to American audiences. I would recommend seeing it with subtitles because I would have missed a lot of dialogue without them. Some research on the British healthcare system might also work in the viewer's favor, but it is not necessary if you have a basic understanding of the welfare system. Furthermore, a general outline of the film is predictable for this genre. There are no real twists in the film, with the typical dramatic themes that Paul Laverty (The Wind That Shakes the Barley) chooses to follow.
The Bottom Line: While this film is well-acted and quite emotional, it is predictable to viewers that are familiar with the genre and style of this filmmaking.
Score: 7/10
