Customer Reviews

Sweet Sixteen

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ken Loach, after his "Bread and Roses" set in USA, returns to the territory he knows well. "Sweet Sixteen" features the life of Liam, 15 years-old boy living in a small town in Scotalnd, who is waiting for his mother in prison to come back, and is desperate to make his "home" perfect for her when she is back with him. To do so, he is selling some stuffs illegally with his best friend, loose-cannon Pinball. But he never expected to what his latest scheme of selling drug is leading him and his family including his loving single-mother sister Chantelle.

If you read the synopsis like this, you might expect this film is a dark, dreary one. The fact is different. "Sweet Sixteen" is a gritty drama about the youth who cannot grasp the reality surrounding him, it manages to transcend the darkness of it, and presents it in the most human, even tender light. The characters even bad ones are not flatly written, and the teenage-angst story escapes clithes found in usual "gangster" films. The film is inevitably played in a lower key with a sad feeling, but not so much as to depress you.

The focal point of the film's sucess if of course Liam played by Martin Compston, who had no previous acting experiances (in fact, very few of the cast had it before the shooting of the film). And Compston was originally planning to be a professional footballer in Scotland, but is found out during the audition for the film (and he didn't want to go at first!).

Director Ken Loach is famous for his skills in letting the actors give their very best, pros and non-pros alike, and people like Terrence Stamp, Robert Carlyle, or Peter Mulan have already testified to this fact, giving their superb acting in his films made in the past. Martin Compston, who succeeds in displaying the poignant portrait of a youth who with his good brain doesn't know what to do in his life, is more convincing than Ewan in "Trainspotting," and surely is one of the greatest finds Ken Loach made in his long career. In short, this boy can really act.

Ken Loach, who slyly inserts his social messages in his films, is also a good storyteller and artist skilled in presenting the atomosphere of the place, and his Scotland looks very authentic. The characters speak many dirty words (and in thick Scottish accent) but don't be afraid of watching this film. Loach is political, to be sure, but that fact doesn't hinder us from watching the film as a great character study which is always powerful and bitter-sweet -- perhaps more bitter than sweet.

Despite its title, "Sweet Sixteen" is one decidedly sour film. This movie isn't based on an Irvine Welsh novel, but with its gritty examination of tough Scottish street life, it might as well be. The movie centers around a fatherless high-school dropout who expects his family to become whole again when his mother finally gets out of prison. In the role of the teenaged protagonist Liam, Martin Compston turns in a brilliant performance that belies his youth. In the opening scene, we see what kind of situation Liam is dealing with: going to visit his mother in prison, her slimy father and her even slimier boyfriend Stan want Liam to pass her drugs to hook up her fellow inmates so that Stan can make a killing off their boyfriends. And when Liam refuses to do it, he winds up getting the hell beaten out of him by the side of the road. This is obviously a kid who's had the odds stacked against him from the beginning.

Through Liam's story, "Sweet Sixteen" makes the rather depressing point that street life can claim even the best-intentioned among us. What makes the movie work is the ambiguity that Compston brings to his character, aided by a first-class script and some very dreary cinematography. Liam is neither a hero nor a villain; he's just a kid doing his best to live a normal life amid highly unenviable circumstances. And he'll do anything to achieve that normal life, even if it means selling heroin to afford a trailer for himself and his family. Of course, it should be obvious to most that drug-dealing is not the best path to normalcy and stability, but Liam's misguided nature is the very quality that makes him such a tragic and sympathetic figure.

Throughout the movie, Liam paves the way to hell with his good intentions, as his naivete constantly puts him in over his head. He continually invests his time and money trying to provide for his mother and keep her away from Stan, even as it becomes increasingly apparent that she's a lost cause. He sticks by his best friend Pinball even as Pinball's dim wit threatens them both. Meanwhile, he alienates his sister Chantelle, who's the only person around him he can actually trust. You can't help but root for Liam, even as you're slapping your forehead at some of the things he does. He wants to be better than the likes of Stan and his grandfather, but he doesn't even know how.

Although it does have its moments of humor, "Sweet Sixteen" is mostly a down note right until the bitter end. There's a sense of foreboding througout the film, as you can just tell that Liam is going to screw up in a big way. Still, if you're not averse to a little depression, you owe it to yourself to see this movie. I didn't always like what I was seeing, but I was glued to the screen just the same.

First of all, Sweet Sixteen is a strong movie because it stays true to Scotland, showing the modern Scotland with true accents coming from natives of the region. But more importantly, the movie and the plight of its main character, Liam, is true all over the world. Liam is a child who cares for little except his family; more particularly, he cares almost entirely for his drug-addicted and narcissistic mother. He tries to pull the pieces together and somehow force his family back together like stubbornly pairing repellant magnets. He does everything he can, even falling into the exact same path of drugs and violence that has ruined his family for generations, from his abusive grandfather to the maniac boyfriend of his mother. But he does it all for a noble cause, for the hope that underneath all the rubble a mother is a mother, and that there is something sacred and incorruptible about a mother and her love for her son.

Ultimately, we learn that love is not an unconditional thing and love does not come to life in a mother's heart when she gives birth. The film challanges our absolute standards, crossing barriers that are usually seen as too dangerous. Liam holds on to his dream throughout the film (until the end), the dream that some sense of morality can survive amidst the squalor of his drug-infested surroundings. But circumstance and fate can crush anything, and we are forced to part with our overly idealistic image of the selfless and loving mother in the face of poverty and danger.

Liam seems trapped throughout the entire movie, and it is clear that his fate will be dreary. The film does an excellent job of frequently portraying Liam as a prisoner, with shots of him looking through windows, pounding at doors in desparation, or waiting for some answer from behind a wall. In a way, he is cut off from nourishment. He cannot automatically recieve love from his mother; he has to knock on a door and beg for it. All of Liam's pure and natural reflexes are put on hold.

The film is superb, and I strongly recommend it. Still, you should know that this film is not for the fain of heart. It's tragic, and even more than that, it's frustrating. It challenges your ethics in every way; it makes you say, "That shouldn't be! That CAN'T be!" But it is. Either you will watch and accept what you see or you will be overcome by the frustrations and decide that the film is lying to you, that what you see cannot be true. Therefore, the film will not be popular for everyone. It is tough to handle, so be prepared.

having read the reviews here i can concur with those that question whether such a gritty film had to be made. But i do so perhaps for different reasons - i come from the town in question (Greenock) and can assure you it DOES reflect life as it can be in a town rife with unemployment and populated by many who dont have a clue what tomorrow will bring. Dark it is. Gritty too. But dont question its reality - if you want escapism dont watch it, but as a portrayal of life in many parts of the UK it hits the mark - and with a fair amount of humour too.

In Ken Loach's stark but richly rewarding "Sweet Sixteen", we follow events leading up to the sixteenth birthday of the resilient but reckless Liam as he tries to prepare a life and a home in anticipation of his incarcerated but soon-to-be-released mother's return.

Liam is portrayed by the perfectly cast Martin Compston, whose emotive face can seem so youthfully vibrant yet at the same time so weathered and world-weary. And apt visage aside, this first-time actor here proves himself to be one of the great young performers emerging in the cinematic world of late - his pitch-perfect portrayal of Liam is right up there with recent starmaking roles turned in by the likes of Ryan Gosling and Joseph Gordon-Leavitt.

Liam is joined in this film by his best friend and literal partner-in-crime Pinball (who's certainly no wizard, although is perhaps so named because of the way he careeningly drives the "borrowed" vehicles in which he joyrides). Pinball is ably portrayed by William Ruane, another previously unknown local who is also quite a find. Together the two boys try to find ways to survive and thrive amidst an environment in which the odds are greatly stacked against them.

The film is actually shot in Greenock, just down the Clyde river from Glasgow, a town where almost all the jobs have moved elsewhere, leading to few "legitimate" ways to earn money. A place where once-lovely but now dilapidated tower blocks are inhabited in equal measure by junkies and families. As Loach himself states in the appropriately spare commentary track (where long silences abound), it's a location where the visually spectacular scenery "contrasts rather sadly with the quality of life of many of the people who live there."

In "Sweet Sixteen", we find the legendary director's usually strident political overtones to be toned down a tad, his muted message blending in nicely with the drab browns, greys and greens of the bleak and beautiful Glaswegian cityscape. The film shows us, subtly yet firmly, how the most promising and gifted attributes in souls young and old alike can sometimes be squelched and squandered by systemic and structural societal inequities. And though it can be depressing to take in at times, this film is ultimately breathtaking to behold, and the most remarkable thing about Compston's performance is that he portrays Liam so winningly that you actually root for him to be successful in even the most questionable of deeds. All of which makes for a highly recommended viewing experience.

This is a must see film. There is so much truth and honesty to the way Mr Loach presents his projects that you really FEEL so much while you are watching these people on the screen. The fact that he uses unknown and untested actors and provides the veiwer with such a rich and true experience is just mind boggeling. Martin Compston is amazing, I hope to see more of him in the future.

As someone who has lived in the council estates of Scotland all my life, I enjoyed this film becuase it shows Scotland for what it truly is. For once, and refreshingly, there are no shots of mountains and castles.
The story is about a young guy called Liam growing up on a council estate in Greenock (a town outide Glasgow which has been caught up in unemployment due to decline in shipbuilding over the years. Also where the lead actor grew up and lives)

Liam wants a better life for his mum and sister but he needs to raise the cash to do this. And he raises the money through the only ways he knows how. Work? No. Drugs. Liam feels that selling drugs will help him by a 'home' to get his mother away from her drug dealing boyfriend. But he becomes involved with the notorious Glasgow underworld and gets sucked into further crime through desperation to proove his toughness, and the pull in the opposite direction of a future for his family.

This film is extraordinary becuase it tackles situations which most don't think about and it's totally realistic. Liam seems to have a good heart, but he is trapped by the society in which he has grown up. He has no real morals other than close family ties and the need to protect them. Despite the hopes of the viewer, we know that Liam is on the slippery slope and there is no way back.

The acting is superb. Martin Compston flourishes in his first ever role. He had absolutely no acting experience prior to this and was in fact a professional footballer. The supporting cast are all perfect for their roles. In particular the slightly insane Pinball (liam's best friend), Liam's loving sister Chantelle and the psycopath Stan.

I believe there are English subtitles on the DVD. The accent is very strong and unlike other films based on Scotland (Trainspotting/Braveheart) it is not toned down at all. Watching this film affects me personally as people I have grown up knowing have gone in similar ways to Liam. This films is good becuase it show Scotland for what it really is. Forget the mountains, castles and bagpipes. These things are tourist season show. Sweet Sixteen is life as it is the rest of the year.

This film, sadly, depicts the way of life for many people in Scotland (and indeed the UK in general) today, and to rubbish statements in other reviews, I would like to assure anybody who has seen or is interested in this film that it is genuine. I live in the West of Scotland and believe it or not this is for a large percentage of people here the culture - the way we speak (and the film I was pleased to see has this down to a tee) the violence, and the hopelessness. (I'm sorry to shatter any illusions).

The film is by no means a classic, it is far too realistic for that status. It does however make a decent story out of real life. Liam is in a desperate situation, his stepfather and grandfather have thrown him out of his home whilst his mother remains in prison. His dream is for when his (unbelievably depressing and frustrating) mother is realeased that he has a home ready for her away from her psychotic boyfriend. He sets his heart on a 6000 pound caravan overlooking the water, and goes about dealing drugs with his best pal Pinball to achieve his ambition. The further he goes down this route however, the more he digs himself a hole and gets caught up in some very ugly situations.

The film has a clear message for economists - poverty and depravity is a major situation, as for the vast majority there is no way out. The fact that this film is shot all on location, people should really sit up and take notice of this fact.

Overall it is very refreshing to see a Scottish film getting the plaudits it deserves. Recommended if you think you can face the harsh reality of life. 4/5.

Ken Loach is probably one of the last directors-auteurs in world cinema today, and certainly one of the most influential, independant and politically motivated directors in British cinema.Any new film by Loach is in itself an event eagerly anticipated by viewers, critics and festivals alike.
Sweet Sixteen is his latest masterpiece that is a world apart from most movies we watch these days.I can even say that the film took me back to the golden age of serious, original and heartfelt moviemaking of the late 60s to late 70s, that started with the French Nouvelle Vague and ended sadly with the debacle of Heaven's Gate.
Sweet Sixteen is the story of Liam, a working class and underpriviledged boy of fifteen, waiting eagerly for his mom's release from prison,the day before his sixteenth birthday, to start afresh and try to break the cycle of misery and poverty that has been his lot all his life.
He finds a caravan for sale at the edge of a lake, with breathtaking scenery, and is determined to buy it for his mother,sister and her small toddler as a stepstone for the new start he craves.
He is prepared to 'sleep with the devil' to achieve his goal, and get enough cash to pay for this dream home, and in that case, the devil is the local drug baron who trusts him enough to include him in his inner circle, after a hard test.
Liam moves from the petty and illegal sale of cigarettes to drugs which he never uses himself, but is prepared to go all the way in the 'devil's' territory and dirty work in an unflinching determination to achieve his dreams.
His new boss even offers him a flat, after his caravan was burned, since as he said, he takes cares of 'his own'.
Yet the hard life that has been his for as long as he remembers, is a much stronger force than the aspirations of a teenager, and with a best friend who betrays him, his mother's boyfriend who is as nasty as they come, his cold and detached grandfather, and eventually his mother who finds it impossible to break from her relationship when she comes out of prison, and in a way is totally mentally imprisoned by the negative resignation to her fate, all these manage to destroy Liam's dreams, and lead him subsequently in a rash moment to an act that will forever crush him.
The very end, which I will not reveal,is one of the most powerful scenes I have seen for a long while,heartbreaking, but utterly moving.
Yes, Sweet Sixteen is depressing, but in the same way that life can be.
The film mirrors the reality of the underpriviledged, the limited choices and opportunities they have got, and even with the great effort they put to break out, the odds are mostly stacked against them from different sources or circumstances.
Yet, amid this gritty realism, there is some hope in Sweet Sixteen: The decency of Liam is quite astounding.His dedication and total devotion and need for his mother, his loyalty for his best friend, and his love for his sister and his nephew are never compromised by what he goes through, and this was marvellous to watch, and has a message that even though at the end things will not work as one plans, the qualities of a person inside can survive.
Loach style was also quite stunning,and he films the slums of Glasgow with the same beauty he films the scenery of the countryside, and with enough light to lift the mood slightly.(minimal night or rain shots)
Lastly I have to say what a brilliant eye Loach has for choosing his cast, and he could not have chosen a better lead to play Liam that Martin Compston: he was excellent,as well as AnneMarie Fulton(the sister) and Gary McCormack(mom's boyfriend).
Sweet Sixteen may be depressing yes, but never sentimental or overbearing, just real like life itself,where there aren't always happy endings. A Masterpeice and a Must Buy!

Liam (Martin Compston) is 15 and filled with dreams of a better life for himself and his imprisoned, but soon to be released Mother. Liam is also possessed of a remarkable amount of horse sense, cunning and street smarts. In many scenes he is very kind and considerate, obviously troubled when he is asked to betray a confidence or a friend. This ambiguity in Liam's nature causes him much pain and remorse but he is without the where-with-all emotionally to avoid it.
Without positive parental guidance and brought up in a milieu of drugs and thievery, Liam obviously looks to these pursuits to elevate his standard of living and to somehow create a life of normalcy. He does Bad in order to attain his under developed sense of what is Good.
Ken Loach has directed with an eye on the brutal realities of Liam's life as well as on the what-might-have-been. His color palette is primary: deep, dark yet vivid blues, reds, yellows and greens when he is dealing with Liam's baser instincts but pastel and bright in scenes in which Liam is interacting with his Mother, Sister and Nephew.
"Sweet Sixteen" is a very calm yet disruptive film filled with images of mayhem and violence yet always reflective and forgiving and in many instances sweet natured. That Ken Loach seduces us into understanding Liam's world and forgiving him his wrongdoing only attests to the all-encompassing nature of his intelligent, persuasive and humane skills as a director.