Review of I, Daniel Blake (2016) by Wes I — 14 Aug 2017

Emotional heart-breaking aggravating and uplifting story of one widowed man (and recent heart attack victim) who battles heartless bureaucracy to gain needed benefits he doesn't even want.

Daniel Blake has worked hard with his hands all of his life and just wants to be able to do so again. Kind to his neighbors both scheming and desperate but quick to rail against injustices when he sees them Daniel shows more patience and fortitude to government number-crunchers than a crowd of biblical Jobs.

Will he get compensated or a continued runaround...will his health and sanity hold out long enough to? "I, Daniel Blake" shows a fretful and scary present: Where the technology-challenged are left behind and a resume w/ an attractive font counts more than past services rendered.

You'll want to cheer Daniel's journey on and punch the screen in frustration at the same time. Ken Loach has a decorated history of directing gritty urban dramas that are very distinctly British: "Blake" is a splendid and noteworthy addition to his body of work. We need more films as this.