Purely Joyful Movie!

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Blistering performances.

I've grown up in Yorkshire and still see some of these characters about today. The accent in the movie is fantastic and all my older relatives have the similar, broad Yorkshire accent which is so friendly yet powerful.The characters in the film are fantastic. The PE scene is so true to life it's unbelievable. Everybody has had a teacher who is the same way. Beating kids, mocking them, dressing in the warm tracksuit whilst shouting at you that it's "not that cold".I love looking at this now and comparing those days to the ones we have now. Nothing has changed except the punishments. Despite the horrifyingly sad ending, this movie will bring a smile to your face.This movie has made me laugh harder, and cry more than any other. Amazing

Kes is not a great film, nor even a near-great one, but it is a good film- at times very good (even with brilliant flashes), and shows how political art can be of quality when the art trumps the politics. That Kes, the bird, has so little screen time in its titular film is merely a recapitulation of Billy's reality that shows that the bird, while not the main part of his existence, is certainly the best part of his existence- at least for the duration of the film. It's odd, for sometimes when one watches an old film for the first time (especially a film of an emotionally or intellectually resonant quality): there is a tendency for them to sort of backfill one's own past. I.e.- they sort of get locked in to a place in time that seems like it has always occupied in one's own past, as if one had seen it when younger, and always carried an idea or memory of it with one. At least that's the way it is with me, and others have told me similar things. Hopefully, Billy Casper was never so locked in to anything, past or present, and escaped the life in the town's coal mines that he so dreaded. I hope he did. I knew him once.

Grim, poignant and funny, Kes is something truly remarkable. Ken Loach's direction is just wonderful, and the whole film looks beautiful with the photography and scenery very handsome. Kes also has a moving and engaging story with realistic situations that has such authenticity to it as well, while the script is beautifully written. The pace very rarely lags either, so there is seldom a dull moment.Kes is also advantaged by some fantastic acting. Freddie Fletcher epitomises the bully big brother so well, and Brian Glover is also remarkable. However, the most outstanding performance comes from David Bradley in the lead, he is very believable and very moving as well as he finds solace in the baby kestrel from the pain of his dysfunctional family life and the torment of school, so much so you do feel for him.Overall, a brilliant film and makes me proud to be British. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This film is from the book "Kes - A Kestrel for A Knave" by Barry Hines.Do you remember any of the books you had to read at school as "compulsory reading"? To me this film should be compulsory viewing for all English schoolkids. This is how it was. I love the football scenes. As you may know Brian Glover was a professional wrestler, but his portrayal of the gym teacher is stunning. My gym teacher was Bev Risman, who was fullback/goalkicker for Leeds RLFC, and they could have taken Glover's role from him..Although a dark, grim film, this brings back many childhood memories for me.. including being caned for smoking.. a Players No. 6 I had stolen from my dad..They just don't make films like this anymore.. Billy Elliot and Brassed Off get close.. but Kes is my favourite film of all time..Stewart (The Yorkshireman, and proud of it) Shepherd