SummaryLiam's Mom, Jean is in prison...but is due to be released in time for his 16th birthday. This time Liam is determined that things will be different. He dreams of a family life he's never had, which means creating a safe haven beyond the reach of wasters like Jean's boyfriend Stan and his own mean-spirited grandfather. (Lions Gate Films)
Directed By:Ken Loach
Written By:Paul Laverty
Sweet Sixteen
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
86
User score
Generally Favorable
7.9
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
100% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
Loach is a super-realist, and Sweet Sixteen has the disarming feel of a documentary. It's a film that miraculously catches life on the fly, without apparent embellishment, cliche or melodrama.
90
It's one of the most emotional and compelling the filmmaker has ever made. Confident, uncompromising and blisteringly realistic, Sweet Sixteen is a gritty and immediate film yet it goes right to the emotions.
90
Sweet Sixteen shows that he's (Loach) as capable of anger as his protagonist and just as eager to draw attention to an unchanging problem: the blight of generational poverty.
88
It's an uncompromising movie that illustrates one of the most convincing personality transformations that I have seen in a recent motion picture.
83
A hard film to shake and makes us think and think again.
75
Not for all tastes, but it demonstrates Loach's skill as a poet of gritty semi-documentary filmmaking.
70
Dabbed with sentimental touches, the film nevertheless avoids facile victim psychologizing and pulls no punches.
User score
Generally Favorable
90% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
10% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Feb 3, 2024
10
Simply incredible. Performances across the board are absolutely brilliant. So real to life, and just an exceptional piece of Scottish cinema. What a debut from Compston. One of my favourite films of all time.
Nov 24, 2021
7
This is a fairly typical Ken Loach social drama film, with the main character shown trying to improve his circumstances in time for his mums release from prison. Its somewhat predictable in terms of plot development but the characters are well performed and its quite gritty - it seemed pretty realistic I suppose, from what little I know. If your a fan of the directors work then I'd say this is worth a watch, yes.
Production Company:
- Alta Films
- BBC Film
- Road Movies Filmproduktion
- Scottish Screen
- Sixteen Films
- The Works
- Tornasol Films
Release Date:May 16, 2003
Duration:1 h 46 m
Rating:R
Tagline:It's you and Liam, against the world.
Awards
British Independent Film Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
European Film Awards
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
London Critics Circle Film Awards
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
