Kes

1969

Action / Drama / Family

30
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 100% · 32 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 91% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.9/10 10 26549 26.5K

british small town great britain northern england sibling relationship based on novel or book

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Plot summary

Bullied at school and ignored and abused at home by his indifferent mother and older brother, Billy Casper, a 15-year-old working-class Yorkshire boy, tames and trains his pet kestrel falcon whom he names Kes. Helped and encouraged by his English teacher and his fellow students, Billy finally finds a positive purpose to his unhappy existence.

Director

Ken Loach Photo
Ken Loach

Top cast

David Bradley Photo
David Bradley as Billy
Duggie Brown Photo
Duggie Brown as Milkman
Brian Glover Photo
Brian Glover as Mr. Sugden
Ted Carroll Photo
Ted Carroll as
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
779.09 MB
1204*720
English 2.0
GP
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 51 min
Seeds 7
1.65 GB
1792*1072
English 2.0
GP
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 51 min
Seeds 36

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by CinemaSerf 7 / 10

When I think back to my childhood, this

When I think back to my childhood, this is one of the few films that I ever saw that induced some sort of emotional reaction. It was it's last five minutes that achieved that, but building up to this denouement we watch the antics of the amiable working class lad "Billy" (David Bradley). He lives with his mum (Lynne Perrie) and his older, bullying, brother "Jud" (Freddie Fletcher) on a bit of a shoestring and is largely a loner at school. Then one afternoon he espies a young kestrel nesting in a farmer's tree. He convinces the man to allow him to try and rear the bird and so with the help of a second hand book, some meat scraps and some enthusiasm from his supportive teacher "Mr. Farthing" (Colin Welland) we watch the boy finally discover a purpose for his life. Indeed, it might also be the first time he has ever experienced love in his life. He doesn't have a pet, though. Each time he takes his bird for a flight, he fully expects it to take off into the skies and never return - but it doesn't. It returns to his arm when called and this only serves to further cement a relationship that is rapidly becoming all-consuming for "Billy". Bradley is excellent here, no other word for it. His characterisation is mischievous, cheeky and vulnerable and as his association with his kestrel grows we are delivered of an engagingly convincing performance that stands out strongly. There is also a strong sense of community imbued here by Ken Loach and by writer Barry Hines of life in a northern English town where the mines are still the main employer; the boozer the main source of recreation; where family lives were anything but conformist and where education was as much to do with a cane as it was a book. In many ways this pitches concepts of nature and nurture successfully and it isn't afraid to create humour from the scenarios it portrays via some intimate photography and some honest dialogue. This is one of my favourite British films and is well worth a watch.
Reviewed by Jim N 9 / 10

An accurate and gritty depiction of what life

An accurate and gritty depiction of what life was like in the 1960s in northern England, where the culture was steeped in its own semantics and sociolect. The story follows Caspar, gruff working-class boy of no means, as his raggedy life is redeemed - fleetingly at least - by the discover of a bird's nest. The "kes" of the title denotes a kestrel (the novel was called "A Kestrel for a Knave"), the wind-hover, the smallest of falcons. The film, aiming for naturalism, barely employs any real actors to portray the characters, and is arguably one of the greatest British films ever made. Jim Newcombe
Reviewed by Bom W 1 / 10

Depressing and stressful from beginning to end. If

Depressing and stressful from beginning to end. If you were hoping for a feel-good coming-of-age story about a young falconer who rises above his circumstances, look elsewhere. Rather, if you enjoy witnessing a boy being subjected to almost unrelenting physical and emotional abuse by a loose and uncaring mother, hateful brother, callous school children, and overbearing adults, then this is the film for you. Don't expect levity or joyful moments, but do expect to have your eyes assaulted by the butts and scrotums of little boys. Almost without exception, every character in this film is a despicable. As you watch, any glimmer of joy you might hope for is snatched away. Maybe it holds a special place in the hearts of those who grew up in similar circumstances, but I suspect all but sadists will find themselves wishing they could rescue the boy from his miserable circumstances. The predominant feeling at its conclusion was relief that the onslaught of misery had reached its end...
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