Sweet Sixteen

Dir: Ken Loach

2002

****

Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen follows a young 'Ned' (Scottish term for a hooligan, lout and petty criminal who usually wear baseball caps, tracksuits and general sportswear) called Liam who lives with his grandfather and abusive boyfriend of his mother. When Liam refuses to sneak drugs into prison for his mother, he is beaten and kicked out of his home. He moves in with older sister Chantelle and her young son. Chantelle escaped her mother’s drug taking and abuse years before and is studying so that she can work in a call centre. Life is bleak for young Liam, he's clearly an intelligent and caring lad with a keen interest in astrology who has never been given direction or a chance in life. Out of revenge and opportunity, Liam decides to steal his would-be step-dad's drug stash and soon catches the eye of a local drug dealer. Liam is approached by the local king-pin and his life suddenly gets serious. He soon makes good money and saves up to buy a caravan for his mother for when she gets out of prison. Liam's story is one of innocents and maturity, he is still very much a fifteen going-on sixteen year old but he has been forced to grow up fast. Like most of Ken Loach's films, the film is matter of fact and never preachy. Liam does wrong and knows he is doing wrong but his situation has forced him into a position. Loach reminds us that many kids his age don't turn to crime but also shows us that many do, especially when they've got nothing left to loose. Liam is a clever boy making decisions someone of his age should never have to make. Although similar to his other films in style and content, Sweet Sixteen could also be seen as an updated version of François Truffaut's The 400 Blows, indeed the very last scene is almost a carbon copy and I suspect a direct tribute. Loach's films are very much an English answer to French new-wave, although unlike the Nouvelle Vague, they haven't run out of steam and are still very much a true social representation of the era they are set. By adopting a realistic approach and using non-actors, Loach, once again, focuses on one person to show a much bigger problem. Ex-professional footballer Martin Compston is perfect in the main role and is an example of Loach's brilliant ability to direct people above everything else.