Leave Her to Heaven: A possessive love affair that creates a storm

Everyone wants to feel loved and appreciated at some point or the other in their life. Being loved is one of the needs of being human and in a sense it completes us and becomes our crowning glory. But when that love becomes obsessive and stifles everything we do it becomes a problem. A possessive love can cause suffocation in a relationship and lead to problems such as the ones presented in the 1945 film Leave Her to Heaven which was directed by John Stahl.

Richard Harland is an accomplished novelist taking a train journey to New Mexico for a vacation at a lodge. On the train, he meets a socialite by the name of Ellen Berent who is also to stay at the same lodge along with her mother and sister. The Berent’s used to visit the lodge frequently and have returned to scatter the ashes of their recently deceased patriarch, a job which Ellen takes up as her own because of her extreme attachment to him. Ellen soon realises that Richard has many resemblances of her deceased father and is immediately infatuated with him. Richard and Ellen fall in love gradually and she abruptly calls an end to her engagement with politician Russell Quinton while immediately announcing her engagement to Richard. They are soon married but not to live happily ever after as Ellen’s increasingly possessive love for Richard wrecks their married life and causes problems for them, Richard’s brother Danny, Ellen’s sister Ruth and the couples unborn child.

Leave Her to Heaven tells the story of a woman who is entirely obsessed with her father to the point of his death. After he passes, she imposes the same love on a man who resembles him in image and likeness to the point where she stifles his freedom by trying to keep him all to herself. It is hailed as a classic which is clear from the use of colour in an early period of film, scenic locations which play an important part of the plot and the course of the plot which lead to the gradual unnerving of a particular character which in turn leads to never before seen circumstances. It also creates a clear distinction of class and then breaks it down which it manages by creating a setting of high society families and eventually leads to their destruction down to a common point of criminal law.

The use of colour and long shots of scenic locations lend to the appeal of the film. While it begins seemingly as a romance, it eventually ends up being much more as it drifts into the throngs of drama-slash-thriller and has often been claimed to be film noir. Gene Tierney plays the role of the deranged Ellen Berent quite crisply as she leads the audience into her charms before unleashing a string of horrors upon the characters in the plot.

A rare to see colour classic in film noir, Leave Her to Heaven peaks as its characters fall deeper into their miseries. It has a charm which leads its audience in before gently shocking them, just as Ellen Berent does to her family and friends.

Death in Gaza: The reality of fear and loathing in Gaza

The crisis in the Gaza Strip is a well known conundrum in our modern world. There is a horrible violation of human rights which occurs in this war ravaged zone which is a well documented fact and it needs attention. The issue is, while most people are aware of the existence of the problem, they are unaware of the life being lead by the residents in the area. James Miller’s Death in Gaza was an attempt to provide a perspective on how day-to-day life goes on in the Gaza Strip.

The documentary mainly focuses on the lives of children who are living in the Gaza Strip. It goes deep into the war zone by following the lives of three children in the most terribly affected region known as Rafah, the southernmost sector which shares a border with Egypt. Ahmed is a 12 year old boy who is pro-militant and wants to become a martyr for the cause of liberating the Palestinians and giving them their own land. He wants to kill as many Israelis as possible and doesn’t mind giving up his life for the cause. Mohammed is his best friend who is also twelve years old and wants to follow in Ahmed’s footsteps. He is willing to follow Ahmed to his death as long as he can be with his friend in this life and the next. Najla is a 16 year old girl who goes to school and helps in her duties at home. She hates the Israelis because of the number of deaths in her family and wishes the worst upon them in the hope of having a great Palestinian state. The film also focuses on the views of the militants as they carry out their operations behind masks while talking to the journalists freely about their plans. During the course of the documentary, we are also introduced to the ideals of the society in the area. Every person that dies as a consequence of interaction with Israeli Defence Forces is celebrated as a martyr, a fate which was met unfortunately by director James Miller.

While the documentary sets out to have a neutral perspective, it can’t help but portray a biased opinion. It starts off by showing the children as they are; as mere kids who lead a difficult life in a war zone and are afraid. But then the film opens up the lives of the kids further as it shows their inner hatred for their oppressors and their desire to be pro-active by taking matters into their own hands. The documentary innocently shows the boys discuss about hurling stones at tanks and preparing their version of homemade hand grenades that could take out their enemies.

The harsh realities in this documentary show the problems that are being lived through on a daily basis in Gaza. The most shocking and gripping fact of the documentary is the notion that the people on screen are exactly as the audience, but they are twisted and manipulated by harsh living conditions. It becomes a shocking reality when the audience finds out just how bad it is to live in Gaza and how difficult life can be in a war zone and the fear and hatred it brews. The fact that the director was killed during the making of this documentary which was captured on tape, and even features in the film, is what adds to the tension of the setting and goes to show how insecure the people living there must feel.

The documentary was meant to be one half of an overall perspective; the second documentary that was planned was from the point of view of the Israeli children. Unfortunately, the second documentary was never made, and will never be made. But no one should miss the chance to watch this documentary and this perspective of the matter.

The Reader: One summer’s love that wrecks a boy’s life

The most significant events to have taken place over the past century have been the two World Wars; in particular, the Second World War which saw the deaths of millions of people and had the world introduced to a very serious threat of nuclear weaponry. What was most astonishing about the Second World War was the number of casualties, both military and civilian, a key cause of which was The Holocaust. It is because of this reason of being so dramatically impactful to human life all over the world that films made on the topics of the Second World War and The Holocuast can be immense.

Michael Berg is a divorced father and a lawyer. He shares a dicey relationship with his daughter who thinks he has always been aloof emotionally. The reason for this, as Michael recalls, is because of a heartbreaking experience he endured as a teenager. When Michael was 15 years of age, he met a woman called Hannah Schmitz. Michael was suffering from an illness and Hannah helped him home one day which was enough to form a bond for Michael to return to thank her. Awkwardly, Michael and Hannah being to have an affair with him returning to her house every chance he gets. Hannah, who is illiterate, enjoys listening to people reading aloud and has Michael read to her every time they make love. As Michael’s infatuation begins to increase to a point that he falls in love with Hannah, they begin to have fights which causes Hannah to promptly leave without informing Michael which leaves him heartbroken and emotionally scarred for the rest of his life. Years later, Michael is a law student on a field trip to a criminal proceeding in a court where he sees Hannah and discovers a hidden truth about her which he was unaware of in all their time together.

The film demands more from the audience in terms of patience and attention than what it delivers in terms of entertainment. It is a slow moving non-linear film which takes its time between the protagonist in the present and his flashbacks to his younger days. As a young man, Michael is played by David Kross, who performed the role admirably, and the present day character is played by renowned actor Ralph Fiennes who deserved much more screen time in this production than he was granted. Kate Winslet also put in a strong performance as the female lead in the film.

The most astonishing problem with The Reader is the fact that serious problems such as child sexual abuse and murder are brushed aside while the issue of illiteracy takes precedence. Not to say that illiteracy isn’t a problem that has to be dealt with, but the casual manner in which genocide and child sexual abuse are merely swept under the mat seems to be a hindrance with this film. In fact, the irony of the matter is that the film does point out how serious the matter is as one of the characters dramatically exclaims that people should have killed themselves knowing that genocide was being conducted in their country without being able to stop it, but the film does not really take a standpoint over the matter.

With a few good performances and a good story, the film is a good watch. But it should have achieved more with the non-linear style and if it had dealt with the bigger problems more appropriately rather than ignore them as the elephant in the room.

The Departed: A symphony between the mafia and police

Everyone loves a good mafia story, especially if it is done well. For a mafia based film, this requires a well written script which is matched with a great representation on film. We have seen many good mafia stories in the past but quite often they fall short of hitting the benchmark of being truly spectacular. This may be due to the fact that most people automatically put a gangster-mafia film on a pedestal, when in actual fact, it needs to be made well to become one of the ‘greats’.

The Departed is a mafia based drama film which covers two sides of a coin by portraying the atmosphere in both camps; the cops and the gangsters. Frank Costello is the kingpin of the Irish Mafia in Boston. He is feared in the city and receives tribute from every small and big business which helps him keep his reputation intact and run his side business of drug peddling. He takes Colin Sullivan under his wing as a kid and trains him to be an important asset for him. Colin eventually graduates from the police academy and joins the Massachusetts State Police to become an informant to Frank about how the police are running their investigations which helps Frank stay away from their radar. On the other side of the tracks, Billy Costigan also attempts to join the Massachusetts State Police on graduating from policy academy. Unfortunately for him, his family history is riddled with the who’s who of the city’s mafia which is known to his commanders. He is given the option of becoming an undercover officer in the mafia to work as an informant for the police about the mafia’s plans. Frank and the police both become increasingly aware of informants in their ranks and both try to smoke them out. The situation becomes grave for Colin and Billy as both try to keep their cover while exposing the other.

The Departed is a great film directed by Martin Scorsese from a screenplay written by William Monahan. This film which was released in 2006 was based on a 2002 Hong Kong film called Infernal Affairs. The Departed is a gem of a film which shows all sides of the coin of law enforcement. It goes into depth for the three main characters and shows their development as the story progresses with the police informant getting unhinged, the mafia informant becoming increasingly paranoid and the head of the mafia being calm and collected. It shrouds the character of Madolyn in mystery, the psychiatrist who carries on relationships with both the informants while being unaware of who they really are until the end of the film.

The film has a certain sweet symphony to it, especially during the main action sequence which sees a standoff between the police and the mafia. It shows both the emotions and the mental state of the characters as they chase down each other being entirely unaware of who they are but the audience knowing their true identities. Every close call for the characters in the film is a skipped heartbeat for the audience. The title of the film comes from the death of a subsidiary character and in hindsight, there is a bittersweet way in which it ties to the end of the film.

Scorsese has also taken the opportunity to pay tribute and show his audience what influences and drives him. The multiple mentions of Sigmund Freud and his theories show that Scorsese has respect for his ideas and put them in the film. He has also used a quotation by John Lennon which shows his background and interest in music. This is also reflected in the background music which involves music from Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and others. The music was selected in collaboration with a close friend of his, Robbie Robertson, a member of the band called The Band and the use of the song I’m Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys features heavily in the film.

Scorsese brings impeccable style to all his films. Although he does not have a particular recurring style in every one of his films, each film has a unique identity to set it apart. The use of music to coincide with the events of the film and the edits to go along with the music are a part of Scorsese’s style and can be seen evidently in this film.

The Departed is one of Scorsese’s best works. It is a must watch film for lovers of mafia-themed films and those who enjoy good cinema.

50/50: Laughing through a fight with cancer

The general mood that follows the onset of a terminal disease like cancer is one which is downcast and solemn. Whether being inflicted by the disease personally or having a loved one around you who has the disease, it casts a shadow every time your thoughts go in the direction of the disease. It is a grave illness and claims many lives in its different forms. So, ideally, humour would not be associated with cancer. But that is where the 2011 film 50/50 breaks the norm.

Adam is a very focused and hard working individual who plies his trade at a radio station. He believes strongly in his work and likes it to be perfect before it goes on air. He has a loving mother, who takes care of his dad day-and-night because of his Alzheimer’s disease. He also has a happy-go-lucky, morally-unbound best friend Kyle and a girlfriend Rachael who spends most of her time with Adam at his house but stays away from physical pleasures with him. Adam is a careful person; he does not own a car for fear of having an accident and never learned how to drive which leaves him dependent on his family and friends to escort him everywhere he needs to go. In this mix, Adam visits a doctor for a backache and is revealed to have a tumour in his back of a rare form of cancer called schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma. Adam’s world slowly crumbles as he faces the cancer and treatment with the help of his family and friends while learning who really cares about him and will stand by him through thick and thin.

The premise of the film is about a guy with cancer who deals with life as it is thrown at him. But what makes the film brilliant is the way in which it has been dealt. Although it would be presumed that any humour involving a serious illness such as cancer would be black comedy, the film deals with the illness and its seriousness with poise. The humour is subtle with the protagonist and his best friend being the main vessels. As the protagonist opens to his condition and accepts it, his friend introduces him to new ideas whereby he can take advantage of his illness to procure medical marijuana and get compassion from women for one-night stands. As such, there is no disrespect towards the illness and people who suffer from it.

Although Joseph-Gordon Levitt plays the role of the protagonist well, the show is stolen by Seth Rogen in the supporting role. Rogen is actually cast as himself in a script written by Will Reiser based loosely on his own experience with cancer when Rogen helped him combat the illness just as Kyle does with Adam in the film. A tip of the hat also goes to Anna Kendrick who has played the role of the relatively inexperienced and awkward therapist who coaches Adam as he struggles with his illness.

The film deserves accolades and may actually be worth a rating which is better than it has received thus far. At the very least, it deserves to be watched a few times.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy: A benchmark of the best that fantasy has to offer

Great films come by only once in a while. And great trilogies, or great film series, are even rarer to find. So when a great trilogy does come by, it should definitely be watched and enjoyed by everyone who loves films. Great film trilogies, or series, also become benchmarks for future productions, and that shows the true value of their quality. One such series is The Lord of the Rings trilogy which is an epic story with roots in high fantasy novels.

The Fellowship of the Ring: Frodo Baggins is a hobbit who lives with his fellow beings in their peaceful region called The Shire. Around the time that his uncle is to celebrate his 111^th birthday, a trusted wizard called Gandalf returns to their peaceful town and discovers that the ring gifted to Frodo by his uncle is the One Ring, a powerful magical ring which was created over 2,500 years earlier by a dark lord named Sauron. Gandalf tells Frodo to leave the protection of The Shire as Sauron’s servants, the Nazguls, would be pursuing him to retrieve the ring. Gandalf decides to consult head wizard Saruman the White and entrusts Samwise, a fellow hobbit, to travel with Frodo and keep him safe. Gandalf discovers that Saruman has pledged allegiance to Sauron by helping him build an army of a new breed of warrior Orcs called Uruk-hai. During this time, Frodo and Sam are joined by two happy-go-lucky hobbits, Merry and Pippin, as they continue their journey and encounter the Nazguls. In the fight, they are assisted by a mysterious ranger named Aragorn who promises to escort them to Rivendell where they are reunited with Gandalf. In a counsel of the races, it is decided that the One Ring has to be taken to the fires at Mount Doom to be destroyed. Frodo takes it upon himself to complete the task and is joined by his hobbit friends; Sam, Merry and Pippin – along with the wizard Gandalf, the ranger Aragorn, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf and Boromir, a man from the lands of Gondor. This group forms the Fellowship of the Ring which sets off on their journey as they battle Sauron’s Orcs in the Mines of Moria and Saruman’s Uruk-hai leading to their numbers being depleted and the Fellowship being scattered across the lands of Middle Earth.

The Two Towers: Frodo and Sam continue their journey towards Mordor where Mount Doom is located. They are attacked by Gollum, a previous possessor of the ring who is consumed by his desire for it and wants it back. Eventually, Sam and Frodo overpower Gollum and have him guide them to the Black Gate of Mordor. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli continue their search for Merry and Pippin and arrive at Rohan where the King Theoden is under a trance put on him by Saruman and his accomplice, Grima. The king’s nephew, Eomer, accuses Grima of being a spy and Grima has him banished from the kingdom. Eomer leaves Rohan but travels and collects an army of loyal men. Eomer and his men kill the Uruk-hais who had taken Merry and Pippin as prisoners. During the battle, Merry and Pippin flee and enter into Fangorn forest where they meet Treebeard, the oldest of the Ents. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli continue their search for Merry and Pippin and confront Eomer who informs them of the battle with the Uruk-hais. The trio find the trail of Merry and Pippin which leads them into Fangorn forest where they are reunited with Gandalf. They return to Rohan where Gandlaf frees king Theoden from the spell he is under. Theoden decides it would be safer to move his people into their stronghold, Helm’s Deep. Saruman dispatches his army to Helm’s Deep to kill the people of Rohan. The battle at Helm’s Deep lasts for many hours as citizens of Rohan and an Elven army try to hold off Saruman’s forces before they are assisted by Eomer’s army in finally banishing the Urak-hai army. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin try and eventually convince Treebeard and the other Ents to attack Saruman’s base at Isengard. Frodo and Sam continue their journey with Gollum as they are met by Boromir’s brother, Faramir, and his army of rangers. The army is attacked by Orcs and a Nazgul which leaves Frodo, Sam and Gollum alone to continue their journey.

The Return of the King: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Theoden and his army meet Merry, Pippin and Treebeard at the flooded Isengard. They travel to Edoras where they split once again and Gandalf and Pippin set out to seek Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Against Denethor’s wishes, Pippin lights a beacon which signals for ally armies to be sent to Gondor as they fall under siege. Aragorn receives the sword Anduril which helps him prove that he is the heir of the king Isildur as he recruits the Army of the Dead who owe their allegiance to Isildur’s bloodline. Sauron’s armies lay siege to Minas Tirith. Theoden and his Rohirrim army arrive midway to provide support to the falling army of Gondor. They manage to hold off the might of Sauron’s army which is led by a Witch-king until Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli arrive with the Army of the Dead and help win the battle. Frodo, Sam and Gollum continue their journey into Mordor via Minas Morgul. Sam overhears Gollum’s plan to kill Frodo and steal the ring. He tells Frodo of this but Frodo banishes him after being convinced by Gollum that Sam only wants the ring for himself. Sam is heartbroken and leaves but returns to find that Gollum has led Frodo to a giant spider and left him paralysed. Sam defends Frodo from the spider but can do nothing as an Orc patrol captures Frodo and takes him to Sauron’s fortress. Sam rescues Frodo and they continue towards Mount Doom. At this time, Aragorn takes the remaining army from the war and lays siege to the Black Gate of Mordor to divert Sauron’s attention as Frodo and Sam continue their final surge to destroy the One Ring.

The film trilogy is an adaptation of a three volume novel which was written by J. R. R. Tolkien. Each volume of the novel corresponds to one of the three films which they are adapted and draw their name from. Although the novel is one whole piece with a continuous storyline from start to finish, the films are only complete as a trilogy with each individual film being only a part of the whole and standing as an incomplete story by itself. The trilogy is an approximate 12 hours in its extended edition (approximately 9 hours in its original theatrical edition) which is made up of 3 films of roughly 4 hours each, but in fact, the trilogy is actually like a 12 hour long film since the storyline is continuous.

The trilogy falls under the fantasy genre. In the literary form, it is an epic from the high fantasy genre; a fantasy story which creates a world of its own which is beside the real world. The trilogy itself is epic in the realm of epic fantasies. It also falls under the genres of action and adventure. It sets a bar in the world of fantasy which is not easy to accomplish for other films. It probably stands by itself as one of the greatest productions and film adaptations of a fantasy series ever made. It also has amazing elements of adventure with characters making long journeys with new discoveries and new additions to the plot. Even the action is brilliant with its amazing battle sequences.

The trilogy tells the tale of a long arduous journey from the point of view of the protagonist and also has subordinate stories running along which are about camaraderie and loyalty to one’s own friend or country, courage in the face of adversity, pride and honour in doing what you love and are required to do, the triumph of good over evil, and many more. The storyline has taken a great load of work and it shows. The characters in the trilogy come out splendidly, with complete sketches being visible at the end, after a gradual revealing of each character’s traits during the course of the plot.

The action sequences which include fight scenes, battles, chases, and more, are really well done. The battle scenes which are shot in the trilogy may be among the best ever produced in a film. The special effects and CGI work is extremely well done which can be seen in the battle sequences and with the coming to life of the character of Gollum. The performances put in by the actors have passion which brings the story to life beautifully. The score in the trilogy also creates a great feel to it and is used repeatedly during the course of the three films.

The trilogy is awesome. It should be watched by anyone and everyone just to understand and acknowledge how epic it really is. Without watching the trilogy from start to finish, it is impossible to really understand, praise or criticise it. Hence, watching it is a must.

Ted: A filthy-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear

Growing up is a really difficult process for some people, especially the adolescent stage which is hailed as the most confusing time. This becomes even more difficult if you do not have any really close friends to keep you company as you are figuring out life and everything around it. In order to cope, many people substitute real friends for things or made-up imaginary friends. Ted is a 2012 movie which picks up from a similar story.

John never had any really good friends who he could bank on. He was socially awkward as a kid and was not accepted by the bullies or even the people being bullied. One Christmas Eve, his parents got him a teddy bear for a gift who he was excited to have as a companion. Later that night, John wished his bear could come to life to be his best friend forever and the wish came true. Years later, John is living in with his girlfriend of 4 years while Ted, his childhood teddy bear, bunks in the same apartment. Ted and John are 30-something slobs who sit around and smoke bongs all day which makes John slack at his job in a rent-a-car company. John’s girlfriend is fed up of Ted and the laid back lifestyle which doesn’t let John and her move forward with their lives. She gives John an ultimatum of picking between her and Ted moving out. Around the same time, John is approached by an old fan of Ted who asks John to ‘sell him the bear’. John has to figure out his life and how to balance the ultimate conundrum of his best friend versus his girlfriend.

Ted is directed by Seth MacFarlane, the maker of the Family Guy animated television series. It is the story of an awkward kid and his bear, which has been brought to life. As the kid grows up to be a man, so does the bear and they continue to hang out together with the progression of Lego blocks becoming weed bongs. The film uses similar humour as that used in Family Guy. It also uses similar background scoring as the television serial and has a common voice which is dubbed from the television series, that of director Seth MacFarlane. In fact, the film acknowledges the similarities by poking fun at the fact that the voice of Ted is the same as the voice of a famous Family Guy character.

The background music is reminiscent of the scoring used in 90’s family films. There is also use of a few comedic sound effects like that done in family comedies of the 90’s. The movie seems to replicate family films, which may be from a satirical viewpoint, but it isn’t actually a family film because of abrasive language and adult content which includes innuendos and partial nudity. There is a sense of confusion in the film which takes it from being a comedy to a drama to a thriller-action flick with the use of a seemingly misplaced car chase.

The film is nothing great in terms of its comedy. It is only a mildly humorous flick which can be a little disappointing if anyone watching it has great expectations from the cast and crew.

Liv & Ingmar: A broken love story that inspired greatness

When verifying facts, to state that the fact has come directly from a very reliable source, we use the term ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’. To put it simply, the phrase implies that the information received is guaranteed to be correct since it is firsthand without having to fall under the scrutiny of any Chinese whispers. Straight from the horse’s mouth is the most appropriate words that can be used to describe Liv & Ingmar, a documentary about the relationship between famous actress Liv Ullman and highly acclaimed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman.

The docu-drama is inspired by Ullman’s autobiography titled Changing. After reading about the relationship between Bergman and Ullman, as told by Ullman, director Dheeraj Akolkar was impressed and decided to track down the source to dig deeper into their lives and find more information about the famous director and his muse. This voyage is what turns into the documentary titled ‘Liv & Ingmar’ where Liv Ullman speaks about her years with and without Ingmar Bergman, the lives they led and the happy and troublesome times they faced. The documentary is spliced with stock footage from home videos, old Bergman films and a few shots and scenes for dramatic effect, accompanied by an interview with Ullman and a substitute narration for Bergman.

To dig deeper into the life and nuances of one of the most influential filmmakers in the world of cinema, this documentary is a great insight. The theme of the documentary covers more of the personal lives and relationship of the two, eventually turning into an emotional rollercoaster as was the relationship between Ullman and Bergman. It only briefly touches on the aspects of Bergman’s work but the inseparable nature of their relationship means that every moment Bergman spent with Ullman eventually landed up being part of his inspiration for his great films.

From a completely impartial standpoint, it provides a deep look into two lives which were completely entwined, torn apart, revolved around each other gently and ultimately tied them down together as close as people can get.

The Angels' Share: A light hearted change of heart

What would someone do if they are given a fresh leash on life? A chance to start over after making a mistake with a fresh slate or merely a second chance after disappointing someone who is close to them; usually, anyone would grab the chance with open arms and try to stay away from anything detrimental. But when trouble keeps coming back after you it can be quite taxing and, as we witness in Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share, it can be quite hilarious as well.

Robbie is a to-be father who is always caught on the wrong side of the law. From causing trouble in gang fights to run-ins with police officials, he has always been getting the short end of the stick. So when he tries hard to stay out of trouble with his pregnant girlfriend, he manages to keep away from a court trail for 10 months before he is dragged back in and confined to multiple hours of community service. In the community service group, Robbie meets a bunch of similar people who find it difficult to maintain stable jobs and stay clear of trouble because of the stigma attached to their previous prison terms. In this break, Robbie’s girlfriend gives birth to his son who he names Luke. Robbie vows that Luke will never have to suffer the same social stigma he has faced since he was a teenager and in his attempt to provide a stable future for Luke and his girlfriend, Robbie and his group of delinquents hitch a plan to make loads of money overnight at a whiskey distillery.

The Angel’s Share is a story of people trying to make it out of a rut to make a better future for themselves. In hind sight, there is a pleasant irony in the plot whereby they attempt to leave a life of crime behind by possibly committing a big crime in the bargain.  The film brings together a mix of characters including a person who is always indulging in brawls, a reckless dunce who might cause harm to society and himself, a vandal who holds grudges towards public property and a kleptomaniac. The course of the film leaves the lives of the three supporting characters shrouded in a mild sense of mystery while delving further into the life of the protagonist, Robbie.

Ken Loach brings subtle humour to the table with this film which has elements of slapstick and situational comedy. This 2012 comedy-drama film isn’t about hard hitting facts but an enjoyable viewing experience. It isn’t a feel good film but doesn’t fall short of bringing a smile to the face of the audience every now and then, and at a few instances, it is also good for a chuckle or two.

The film has a light hearted tone from the beginning until the end. It maintains its style of being an enjoyable film to watch from its opening frame right until the closing one.