Angels', not Angel's. I will not stand for this.

my grammar has been fixed

A minor, but charming film by Ken Loach, an elder statesman of cinema-with-a-social-conscious in Britain and the director of one of my favorite films, Kes. Unfolding in Glasgow, the storyline focuses on a violence prone youth trying to change his life after avoiding a long prison sentence and becoming a father, even though he is doubted by her family (one of whom tries to bribe him to move alone to London) and hounded by old foes. The first half of the film, anchored by authentic performances overflowing with human complexity and urban grit, is near masterful. The question of whether our flawed, but charming hero can find redemption is involving, as are two of his central relationships: one with his beautiful girlfriend (who champions him even as she fears criminal relapse), the other with a stout and virtuous older man who mentors those performing community service. There is a downright astounding scene in which he meets with a prior victim and his family and is forced to stare directly at the result of his juvenile cruelty, forced to recognize and understand their pain.

Alas, the film loses steam in its second half as it transitions, in a slightly improbable twist, into a light heist comedy by way of The Full Monty. Complete with not one, but two triumphant cues of the Proclaimers! The main character and a few former hoods trying to improve their circumstances decide to, under the cover of night, steal a bit of very rare, very expensive whiskey from a distillery. (The questionable morality of financial and spiritual redemption through what is ultimately still a crime can be largely forgiven due to the haughty nature of the alcohol aficionados, spending hundreds of thousand of pounds or more on spirits, as contrasted with the spaces and systems in which Glasgow's poor are ensnared.) Characters so interesting in the first half largely vanish in favor of a more disposable band of comic-relief archetypes, and the challenge of taming one's temperament and refusing to be defined by the perspective of others becomes an afterthought obscured by a pleasant, but pat series of minor-suspense complications and uplifting resolutions. The film remains entertaining, and there is always a sense one is in the hands of a cinematic master, but the shortcomings of the third act relative to the quality of the first two is definitely deflating.

B

This had a free showing late at night on a beach during last summer's festival around here. The atmosphere was much better than the movie. It was OK, slightly fun, but it kinda dragged towards the end.

amusing

B+

Probably the most lightweight and funny of all films directed by Ken Loach (though there isn't much competition) is also his best in many years (and above the overrated Cannes-winner The Wind that Shakes the Barley). It mixes the low-key humor with Loach's social conscience approach surprisingly well and ends up being an extremely satisfying, yet mostly realistic film. The cast really carries it.