I, Daniel Blake

Such a horrendously accurate depiction of life on benefits in Britain is brought to the big screen, and boy does it tug on those heart strings.

A character known as Daniel Blake takes centre stage in a film that follows his trivial pursuit to gain the benefits he deserves after falling too ill to continue working. 

In what seems like an ongoing battle of injustice, we, as the audience, follow his ever worsening quest for benefits which in turn leads to his continuing decline in health.

Dave Johns, a comedian and first time actor, takes on the role of Daniel Blake in what makes for a stunning breakout role which will almost definitely be a memorable performance in cinema for years to come. 

What is most important in the production of this film is the time that has been taken to truly understand the story of each character. Rather than spend obscene amounts of money on unnecessary props and sets, Director Ken Loach, has instead focused upon his characters and let them speak to the audience with their stories alone, making the need for excessive budgets redundant. 

In a film industry where we have almost lost perspective of real-life stories of love and hardship, this film really does spark up an ever darkening reality of life. 

Missing Child (2015)

In a bid to secure closure, a young woman’s quest to find her parents takes a dramatic turn.

Not knowing where you came from is a burden beyond anything anyone can ever imagine. But unfortunately for one woman, this is her reality.

Gia knows very little of her past and it is her unfathomable curiosity that leads her to become the star in a very sticky tale.

Her reckless optimism steers her to befriend a rather unpleasant soul, who will do just about anything for money. His morals, or rather lack of them, lead himself and Gia into a situation that can only be described as gruesome deceit.

Deceit, therefore, forms the foundations of this tragic tale, leading Gia to become manipulated into conning a man she believes to be her father.

The film itself whilst warped with loss and betrayal, truly does betray an honest perspective on the peril that can come with not knowing one’s past. This film not only explores the battle to find those lost, but also the abundance of determination that is associated with their recovery.

It is so very rare that filmmakers can turn such a delicate story, into an equally delicate on screen phenomenon. But this is indeed the case with this film; not only does it explore the deepest depths of rejection, it deals with the fundamentals that occur as a result of a broken family.

Though the depiction of this tragic tale is a wonder to behold, it is the actors, or rather lack of them, that truly inspire, and make this film such an original masterpiece.

For the duration of this film, there are only three actors, but what is so endearing about this fact, is that it is not something that is consciously noticed when viewing the film.  Because being able to hold the attention of an audience for a full ninety minutes is quite frankly a stunningly refreshing look at the world of film-making.

This is by no means a feel-good film, on the contrary it more likely to make you cry. But it will inspire and leave a butterfly-like sensation in the pit of your stomach. It may not have made box office records, nor does it star Hollywood’s elite, but this is film that will make you think. And it is these films that remain with us.