Written by: Paul Laverty (screenplay)
Directed by: Jean-Pierre Melville
Starring: Dave Johns , Hayley Squires , Sharon Percy
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A carpenter for most of his life, Daniel Blake is forced to seek state welfare after suffering a heart attack. While trudging through an endless maze of red tape, he befriends a young single mother of two stuck in similar circumstances.
Verdict
While essentially a movie about waiting in line, it creates engaging characters. We see two people on government assistance, proving that not everyone is out to make a quick buck. Daniel tries to get off assistance, but has to jump through so many hoops it seems impossible. While the focus is pointed, it's also insightful.
Watch it.
Review
This reminded me of The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, about a man trying to get medical help, but this one does it much better. It's a neat story about a guy trying to cut through endless bureaucracy.
His doctor has forbid him to return to work after a heart attack and he's forced to seek government assistance. Nothing is easy, and to get the assistance he has to jump through many hoops. He has to wait to get a letter and then make a phone call. He needs to submit an application online, but can't do that at the office with the help of staff. It's a backwards system that dooms applicants to fail. Even the social worker is chastised for not following the rules by actually trying to help Daniel. She wants to help him figure it out, but protocol is to send him on his way.
The hoops he must jump through never end. He must apply for jobs he can't actually work as the doctor hasn't cleared him. It's frustrating for him and the viewer. He sells his stuff just to make ends meet. He befriends a young mother who is struggling to feed her kids.
This movie has a very specific goal. I've seen movies like this before, but this does it very well with solid characters. It connects us to how they feel. Not everyone seeking assistance is scamming the system, and even with assistance the characters we see aren't well off. Daniel is accused of scamming the system when he wants anything but. He's just following the rules. People don't understand and this movie seeks to provide a shred of insight. Daniel is marginalized and just wants to be heard.
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