Loach's Biggest Hit to Date

Ken Loach, who has previously depicted young people struggling to escape harsh realities in films like "Kes" and "SWEET SIXTEEN," presents "The Angels' Share." This is a thrilling and moving human comedy about aimless youths who, through encounters with a mentor and friends, strive to seize a "great reversal of fortune" with their own hands. It has become the biggest hit in Ken Loach's filmography in his native UK.

The screenplay was written by Paul Laverty, Loach's long-time collaborator since "Carla's Song" in 1996. The casting of Paul Brannigan as the protagonist Robbie also became a major talking point; he was discovered for his acting talent when he met Laverty during research, becoming a lucky boy much like his character.

Robbie Discovers His Talent for Whisky Tasting

Scotland, the home of Scotch whisky. Robbie, a young man living in Glasgow, is constantly getting into trouble due to his background, leading to altercations. However, in consideration of his unborn child with his girlfriend, he is sentenced to 300 hours of community service instead of prison.

Through his community service, Robbie meets Harry, a whisky enthusiast who works as a supervisor, and fellow offenders. As Harry teaches him the depths of whisky, Robbie discovers his talent for tasting. He learns about casked Scotch whiskies valued at an unbelievable price of over one million pounds (approximately 140 million yen) and embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime gamble with his friends to turn his life around!

The "angels' share" refers to the portion that evaporates and is lost, about 2 percent annually, while whisky matures in the cask. As whisky ages over ten or twenty years, its flavor deepens, and so does the angels' share. Upon witnessing the film's brilliant conclusion, we will likely reflect on this title and be left with a pleasant afterglow.

The Angels' Share
Now Showing at Ginza Theatre Cinema
Director│Ken Loach
Starring│Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw, Roger Allam, Gary Maitland
Distributor│Longride
2012│UK, France, Belgium, Italy│101 min

© Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions, Wild Bunch, Les Films du Fleuve,
Urania Pictures, France 2 Cinéma, British Film Institute MMXII