David Bradley,
Freddie Fletcher,
Lynne Perrie,
Colin Welland,
Brian Glover
... see more 
In this 1969 Ken Loach film, a 15-year-old named Billy Casper (played by acting newcomer David Bradley) suffers abuse both at home and at school in Yorkshire, England. At his home in the working-class... read more
DVD Release Date: April 19, 2011
Stats: 677 reviews
Whoops,...I had never heard of this British gem.
Well directed drama feels almost entirely undirected. Social-realist look at young boy growing up in a Northern mining town. I thought the domestic scenes a bit cliche, but the school scenes were great and the football scene was... read more
Northern England, 1969, and life is pretty glum for an introspective lad just finishing up regular school. Its the system, you see, that handles people like products in an immense factory. It breeds ... inhumanity. But one found hobby gives our boy some dignity, and that's the... read more
Ken Loach's sobering, no-frills look at adolescent perseverance in the face of poverty, cruelty and indifference. The subject matter may be bleak and heartbreaking but the film itself is absolutely brilliant.
Hailed as one of the best British movies of all time, I watched it and it was okay yeah, but I don't see it as being that great. The football sequence, as well as the hawk training parts were interesting though. It was hard to understand the British accent at many parts for this ... read more
Kes is the story of a few weeks in the life of a schoolboy, Billy Casper, against the backdrop of social disintegration that was the north of England in the late 1960s. Billy finds and trains a kestrel, investing in it all the latent energy that his school and rough home life hav... read more
A film I'd watched many years ago, which is about more than a boy who trains a bird of prey, it's about a distraction from home and school life, companionship and understanding. The boy who takes the lead part, seems to act very naturally and convincing. I'm sure this film will... read more
beautifully naturalistic film about a boy's relationship with a kestrel. wonderful performances. note: subtitles may be useful for americans at some points
I didn't swoon for "Kes" as much as many others did, probably because...
1) deciphering the accents was a serious, serious problem for this Yank.
2) the story's "a boy and his dog" arc was overly familiar.
3) none of the characters were too well-developed beyond Billy.
A lovely... read more
Simply, the filmmakers have brought the background of the boy's life vividly into reality. Full Review
Loach is not a director of notable style, nor can he often refuse the obvious shot, but he seems to have a remarkable talent for handling actors and obtaining performances that are truly memorable. Full Review
The only Loach film I rate more highly is his Spanish civil war picture, Land and Freedom. Full Review
Seen today, it still cries its authentic song of rage. It still cuts like a knife. Full Review
A film that captures Loach's ability to find the extraordinary drama in ordinary lives. Full Review
Jaunty, sad, poetic, Kes is so humane it makes you tremble. Full Review
Funny, sad, bitingly authentic, Kes resonates with Loach's anger at the way many kids grow up into narrow, option-free lives. Full Review
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