Ken Loach is a British filmmaker whose career has spanned over five decades, marked by an unwavering commitment to social realism and a keen eye for the human condition. His films are characterized by sharp social commentary and a deep empathy for marginalized individuals. His best movies range from coming-of-age tales to war dramas, often exploring forgotten regions of the United Kingdom. They tend to focus on issues of poverty, crime, and family problems.
This may sound bleak - and some of Loach's movies certainly are - but his storytelling can also be light-touch and engrossing; his films are usually enjoyable as well as enlightening. Importantly, he is political without being a propagandist. He engages with every story critically, resisting easy answers. These are the finest of Loach's projects, as ranked by the users of IMDb.
10 'Raining Stones' (1993)
IMDb: 7.3/10
Set within a working-class community in Manchester, Raining Stones follows Bob (Bruce Jones), a devoted father who, despite facing financial hardships, is determined to provide for his family. He works odd jobs, cleans bathroom pipes, and even steals sheep when he's really desperate. Despite their situation, Bob resolves to buy a fancy new dress for his daughter Coleen's (Gemma Phoenix) first communion. He's forced to borrow money from a loan shark; a situation which soon threatens to spiral out of control. What starts as a lighthearted and comedic story heads in a grim direction.
The film is simple and affecting, clocking in at a lean 90 minutes but jam-packed with food for thought. Loach takes on his signature themes here: poverty, faith, family, and the lengths people will go to survive. It received rave reviews, particularly for Jones's performance, winning the Jury Prize at Cannes.
9 'Ladybird Ladybird' (1994)
IMDb: 7.4/10
Maggie Conlan (Crissy Rock) is a single mother of four children by four different fathers, all of whom were abusive. She's devoted to her kids, but on the one night that she leaves them alone, they are harmed by a fire. The police question her fitness as a parent and social services soon arrive to take the children away. Maggie fights to get them back, finding herself up against a labyrinthine, overburdened system. The title stems from a nursery rhyme: "Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home/Your house is on fire, Your children shall burn!"
It's a bleak story and hard viewing, but worth it for Rock's intense, believable performance. The film asks a lot of her but she more than rises to the occasion every time. Ultimately, Ladybird Ladybird works because it's so even-handed. Rather than simply condemning the system or, alternatively, blaming Maggie, it considers the situation from all angles.
8 'My Name Is Joe' (1998)
IMDb: 7.4/10
Joe Kavanagh (Peter Mullan) is a recovering alcoholic striving to rebuild his life and maintain his newfound sobriety. His life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes romantically involved with Sarah (Louise Goodall), a health worker. They're both wounded people who don't open up easily, but they find solace in one another. However, their relationship is tested when Joe becomes entangled with the local drug trade in an attempt to help his friend Liam (David McKay).
A drug lord places an offer before Joe: all he has to do is make two trips driving a car containing drugs, and all of Liam's debts will be forgiven. How Joe responds to the proposition will influence his own life and those of everyone around him. Once again, Loach crafts a realistic and whip-smart story about a hardscrabble urban environment, this time a poor area of Glasgow. The highlight is Mullan, who is magnetic in the lead role, winning the Best Actor Award at Cannes for his efforts.
7 'Sweet Sixteen' (2002)
IMDb: 7.4/10
Sweet Sixteen centers on Liam (Martin Compston), a determined sixteen-year-old living in a run-down coastal town in Scotland. Liam dreams of creating a stable and happy home for his mother, who is about to be released from prison. To do this, he needs money, so Liam and a friend steal a shipment of drugs from his mom's boyfriend Stan (Gary McCormack), selling it for thousands of pounds.
Their success draws the attention of a local crime boss, who offers Liam a job. However, he finds that his new line of work may be one from which he can't escape. The film feels fresh, spontaneous, and real; probably because most of the characters are played by non-professional actors. Once again, Loach displays his talent for depicting morally gray characters. In Sweet Sixteen, people do bad things for good reasons, or because they misunderstand their situation, or because their other options are worse.
6 'Family Life' (1971)
IMDb: 7.5/10
Family Life is a bruising family drama, adapted from a television play Loach directed in 1967. It tells the story of a young woman named Janice (Sandy Ratcliff), who is rebellious and struggling with mental health issues, as she lives with her conservative and judgmental parents. They are shocked when Janice falls pregnant, pressuring her to get an abortion, but this only causes her to spiral further. The more fragile Janice becomes, the more critical her parents are.
Family Life is shocking, not in its imagery but in its gloomy, pervasive mood. Loach shoots this familial dysfunction in a documentary style, making it feel even more real and turning the viewer into an unwelcome spectator. It isn't the best film for those first trying out Loach's work, but his die-hard followers will appreciate its pull-no-punches bleakness.
5 'Land and Freedom' (1995)
IMDb: 7.5/10
Land and Freedom focuses on David Carr (Ian Hart), an unemployed worker and Communist Party member living in Liverpool. Moved by a sense of idealism and a desire to fight fascism, he joins the International Brigades to aid the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. However, David soon finds that the reality of war is far from what he imagined. He is shocked by the divisions between the Communist factions, as well as the authoritarian influence of the Soviet Union.
The film bears some striking similarities to George Orwell's famous non-fiction book Homage to Catalonia, about his own experience volunteering in the Spanish Civil War. In both works, a key theme is the disconnect between utopian dreams and the more disappointing reality. It's yet more proof that Loach is a complex, rather than partisan, storyteller.
4 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' (2006)
IMDb: 7.5/10
Set during the 1919-1921 Irish War of Independence and the subsequent Irish Civil War, The Wind That Shakes the Barley tells the story of two brothers, Damien (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy O'Donovan (Pádraic Delaney), who join the Irish Republican Army. Although united by a desire for Irish independence, the brothers eventually find themselves on opposite sides as political ideologies and allegiances fracture the once-unified struggle against British rule.
One doesn't need to know the intricacies of Irish history to be swept up by this immersive story. It's a vivid period piece, brought to life by Barry Ackroyd's stunning cinematography and the brilliant performances. Murphy, in particular, is fantastic; this is one of his very best roles. His character is thoughtful and conflicted, initially training to be a doctor but shaken by a brutal killing into joining the war effort. The Wind That Shakes the Barley ranks among the best war movies of the 2000s, rightly winning that year's Palme d'Or.
3 'Sorry We Missed You' (2019)
IMDb: 7.6/10
Sorry We Missed You takes Loach's decades-old focus on ordinary people struggling to get by, but updates it for a modern world being shaken up by globalization and new technologies. The story follows dad Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) who begins working as a self-employed delivery driver, hoping to secure a better future for his family. However, the demands of the gig economy and the lack of workers' rights take a toll on the Turners. His job has been utterly dehumanized, and his every move is watched by a tracking device.
It's a moving portrait of a family struggling under the pressure of the modern economy. The performances are authentic, and the writing feels sharply real. Perhaps most impressively, Sorry We Missed You remains enjoyable despite the tough subject matter, making it one of the better starting points for those new to Loach's filmography.
2 'I, Daniel Blake' (2016)
IMDb: 7.8.10
Loach won the Palme d'Or yet again for this social drama looking at the British welfare system. The titular character (Dave Johns) is a middle-aged carpenter who, after suffering a heart attack, seeks government assistance while he recovers. However, the bureaucratic hurdles prove to be a Kafkaesque nightmare. As he navigates through a maze of red tape and heartless assessments, Daniel befriends Katie (Hayley Squires), a single mother also struggling with the system, and they form an unlikely bond.
I, Daniel Blake is unflinching yet accessible, with the social themes never overwhelming the story or characterization. Johns, a stand-up comedian, is delightful in the lead role and carries much of the movie on his own. The result is a movie that communicates a tough message confidently, without being didactic. It resonated with audiences and ruffled the feathers of a few British politicians, as Loach probably intended.
1 'Kes' (1969)
IMDb: 7.9/10
Billy Casper (David Bradley) is a boy growing up in a bleak industrial town. Struggling in a dysfunctional family and facing challenges at school, he discovers a sense of purpose when he befriends a kestrel hawk he names Kes. Under the guidance of his English teacher, Mr. Farthing (Colin Welland), Billy learns falconry; but his environment threatens to interfere with his new passion.
Kes was Loach's second feature film, and it remains one of his finest. Lean, low-budget, and using amateur actors, it's naturalistic in the best way. The story is beautiful, but also radiating anger, like a British version of Truffault's 400 Blows: Loach clearly cares deeply about the issues here. Kes is now considered a major entry in the British New Wave and is frequently ranked among the greatest films of all time. Its fans include everyone from Krzysztof Kieslowski to Edgar Wright.