Director: Ken Loach
Runtime: 100 minutes
Cast: Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Rhys Stone, Katie Proctor, Ross Brewster

Down on his luck Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) gets a chance at a new job where he can drive his own van, own his own franchise and be his own boss.

Maloney (Ross Brewster) is the supervisor at a package delivery company that 'onboards' new drivers with promises of independent contracts for all its drivers offering them 'professional autonomy' any the opportunity to be 'master of their own destiny.'

It's all complete bollocks of course. Maloney is just some scumbag preying on people who are down on their luck and after all his promises of a better workplace he's just another bastard who will grind down his employees and treat them badly until they break, either physically or mentally. The big problem here is that this film is so unremitting bleak that it'll probably break you too.

Ken Loach and Paul Laverty are of course well known for this sort of kitchen sink, council estate drama that is intended to show the real side of life. And they do that very successfully and authentically. But they may just end up making you want to give up on watching films entirely (possibly life itself) if this is the sort of soul-destroying stuff were being asked to watch.

All of that said the worse thing here is the acting. Turner isn't great by any means. He's average. Honeywood is slightly better. But Brewster is just dreadful. I'm surprised he was able to remember his lines, in fact at times it looks as though he's reading them off a teleprompter. His performance is laboured and dull.

Ken Loach has been directing this sort of miserable, little-man-against-the-machine drama for over half a century so it's all well put together and the sets and costumes accurately portray 'rented house on a council estate, working two jobs to make ends meet, nothing left over at the end of the month to buy new school shoes for little Johnny', which make it all very authentic. But that's part of the problem... Who wants to watch 100 minutes of pure misery, borne of financial struggle and emotional turmoil? It's all very real but I'd much rather watch the latest Termintor movie with some popcorn thanks. "Sorry We Missed You" on the big screen at your local Cineplex...? You'd walk out after ten minutes I promise you.

Thanks, but no thanks Ken Loach, go sell your miserable films to someone else, I'm not buying.

Author : Kevin Stanley