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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 12/23/2012 : 18:27:18
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The title's taken from the name given to the myteriously disappearing proportion of a cask of whisky which evaporates into thin air while still ageing inside the wood.
It reverberates late on in this very entertaining yet serious indie film directed by master of the 'small big' story Ken Loach, from a script by long-term collaborator Paul Laverty.
It's something of a Scottish fairy-tale, but set in the grim reality of impoverished Scotland. Given Loach's treatment all the incursions of the rich into this tale point up in unusually subtle ways that wealth is no guarantee of character.
The story centers around Robbie, a young man, soon to be a dad, and his genuine attempts to free himself from the anti-social/criminal traps that have been shaping/restricting his life.
Though clearly an intelligent lad, and adorned with a loving heart, he has not been a very nice kid. In fact, he's been a total bastard. Acting out his rage through a haze of drugs and what the Irish call bad cess, we meet him shortly after he's about to be sentenced for brutally beating another lad and maiming him for life.
By some good fortune, instead of a custodial sentence, he's given a hefty dose of community service, supervised by the avuncular Harry [UK T.V.'s dependable John Henshaw]. Harry genuinely wants the kids in his care to shape up, and his weapons hide neither blades nor bullets. He treats them like human beings and fully expects them to behave.
For the most part they do. In fact, real life statistics reveal that Harry's approach has substantially reduced recidivism. You can quite believe that, especially in a country like Scotland, which despite its awareness of the wider world, still retains a sort of innocence.
Loach successfully turns the latter to great comic advantage. Bits of the film are very funny indeed!
One of the things Harry's keen on is a fascination with the finer points of whisky distilling. Not because of any dicing with alcohol, but as a matter of refinement. He knows the best malt distilleries in the Highlands, and has become quite the expert in sniffing out the differences in traditional production techniques.
As a treat he takes some of the kids to one such distillery for a membership only tasting. And that's the second major good deed benefiting Robbie.
How he stumbles on a scheme which will provide a stable future for himself and new family provides the meat - and drink - of the film.
As Robbie, newcomer Paul Brannigan acquits himself with the courage and confidence of far more experienced actors. We believe him every step of the way.
Loach and Laverty find truly surprising ways to keep the story light without sacrificing the rough side. The whole thing skips along on Hope Road. Perhaps, given some of Loach's past work, you keep expecting stuff to go wrong.
But Angel's Share just makes you feel great about humanity.
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Edited by - BaftaBaby on 12/24/2012 09:47:26 |
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The Angel's Share
