I, Daniel Blake (2016)

October 21, 2016 (GB) • Drama • 100m

Overview

A middle aged carpenter, who requires state welfare after injuring himself, is joined by a single mother in a similar scenario.

Director

Dave Johns

Keywords

northern england heart attack single mother compassion carpenter social services welfare social realism social security healthcare desperate labor rights

Where to watch

Free / Included

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Top Billed Cast

Natalie Ann Jamieson

Employment Support Allowance Assessor (uncredited)

Crew

Reviews

Reno

⭐ 8/10

April 14, 2017

**A reminder that the society is made up of all kinds of people and some of them need gentle assistance.**

There was an Oscar buzz for this. Many film experts thought it would sail through, but that did not happen. Now I saw it and I think it should have made into. If the priests' dirty secrets were recognised to condemn on such a big platform, then this film deserves as well. Because it reveals the cruelty against the economically weaker families and computer illiterate old men.

It is only this much short to be called a documentary film. I mean it was very realistic with cinematic dialogues, otherwise a documentary. This is a message film, highlights what's wrong with our system and who are all suffering from it. The actors were great and the 80 years- old director had done a magnificent job. You could watch as many films you want, but if you fail to watch a film like this often, there no meaning getting into film watching business.

The story follows a 60 year old widower whose name mentioned in the title. As he is recovering from heart attack and as advise given by his doctor, now he's out of the job and support allowance. Whenever he approaches the officials to look his issue, they always come up with different reasons to send him back disappointing. Especially not being into the computers, he struggles to fill forms on the internet platform.

He's very patience and following everything they have told him to do. One day he comes to aid to a single mother with two kids who recently moved to the city from London, when she is too struggling in the employment agency to get a job. So their relationship grows as they lend hands to one another in tough times. Following, how they recover from the issues they are facing is what the film to cover in the remaining parts.

> "Listen, you know, you give me a plot of land, I can build you a house. But I've never been anywhere near a computer."

I liked this the film, but I think it was too realistic for my kind of taste. Because I like emotional parts and in this film those parts were highly effective, but not sentimentally striking way. Maybe you can say, less music with more dramatisation changed the storytelling style. Though the focus given on economically lower class and their way of life, not intentionally, but lack of support in society, all these were well detailed. I have always supported films that point outs flaws in basic establishment in society.

Almost all the major struggling juncture one goes through in the employment agency, particularly if the person was old is uncovered. Like the telephone calls responding to the recorded message, online applications, as well as meeting them in person. What we're facing right now in the world is or to know is, not everybody is a computer literate. It'll be in the future, but not now. They are not getting proper help, particularly agency treating them like the illegal immigrants.

In addition the film gets more interesting when a single mother was introduced. On the other side, different issues faced by poverty ridden small family, particularly her desperate attempt to fulfill the basic needs of her children is heartbreaking. This is not just the English problem, but everywhere else in the world. It had won several awards, particularly one BAFTA award. A good film for everyone, only if you understand the notion of the film or else will be a boring film.

While I was watching it, I thought it was a regular kind drama, so I kept expecting that things would turn this and that way. For almost the entire film, but it's only in the final stage something it came up with to surprise me. So my advice is keep low expectation and be patience. More importantly accept what it reveals than what you want from it. If you fail on that, then its not your film and to know that the only way is to watch it.

_7½/10_

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Status

Released

Original Language

Budget

—

Revenue

$15,793,051

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