Total Film
Funny, sad, bitingly authentic, Kes resonates with Loach's anger at the way many kids grow up into narrow, option-free lives.
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Kes
A young, English working-class boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet falcon in Ken Loach's BAFTA award-winning drama.
Billy Casper (David Bradley)is a tormented working-class boy who is subjected to abuse both at school and at home. The son of a single mother (Lynne Perrie), Billy's existence is mostly bleak until he takes up an interest in falconry and begins training a kestrel that he finds on a nearby farm. While Billy forms a close bond with the falcon, his hardscrabble life and harsh environment prove to be a challenge to the boy and his bird.
Winner of Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (Bradley) and Best Supporting Actor (Welland), 1971 BAFTAs
1969Rating: PG, Coarse language111 minsUK
Drama
Kes / Reviews
Time Out
Kes is one of the most astute, engaged films about education and what it takes for kids to be excited about learning or passionate about anything, really, whether in the classroom or roaming the fields with a feathered friend.
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The New York Times
Loach is not a director of notable style, nor can he often refuse the obvious shot, but he seems to have a remarkable talent for handling actors and obtaining performances that are truly memorable.
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Empire Magazine
Unforgettable when it first appeared 30 years ago, Kes remains something of a landmark.
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