Review of Kes (1970) by Aaron A — 15 Jul 2011

"C'mon Kes!".

Synopsis: Billy Casper is a puny kid from the poor end of Barnsley. He's struggling in school, bullied by his older brother and basically dismissed by everyone else. But when he finds an injured fledgling kestrel, he begins to train the bird.

Kes is hard to watch, if not for it's tragic storytelling, then for it's almost impossible to understand british dialogue. The british actors mumble and use phrases that make no sense to Americans, but the story is so universal and so well directed, even if you miss a third of the dialogue (if your american, count on it) you will always understand the relevance of each scene.

Also the fact that there is no compromises to how the actors talk during the shoot, help insure a truly remarkable sense of realism. By the time I was half way through the film, I forgot I was watching a fictional tale and not a british home video or perhaps a documentary, such realism is commendable.

And so is the film in it's entirety.