Review of Kes (1970) by Corey N — 24 Jun 2007

Really taking the sixties working class regime and immortalising it on screen, Loach has made one of the best dramas about working class folk that there is.

Casper is a bit of a loner as the hero of the picture, and makes a bond with the titular bird, and in turns a corner for him in his stage of life. if it wasn't for the Kestrel, then Billy may have not distanced himself from his former friends and may have rebelled against his mother and followed his brothers footsteps later on in his life. instead with Kes, he is able to block out what is the reality of his life and situation, and go away into a fantasy worlds when he is with his Kestrel.

The cinematography here is outstanding, and shows England for what it was for the working class family back then, hard to swallow, with just a few laughs throughout. the film is extremely funny in places, for instance, Glovers PE teacher and his football match is hilarious to watch. also the film is tragic as the ending of the film shows us that Casper has gone back to his reality, knowing that he faces a downward spiral that will lead to just another wasted youth.

His Kestrel is a form of communication at times, he is able to reach out to people with Kes, people who wouldn't really bother with him otherwise, knowing that Casper has other interests makes other friends and his Brother Jealous, knowing that Billy can find something different to them in this life. faithfully restoring the book, Loach has made a fantastic , if dingy looking drama with great performances from all those involved.