This vision of the life and loves of overweight, gruff, and all to frequently mulleted moustachioed northern Europeans captures the crowd from the start, precisely because Loach is such a good film maker. The performances are superb, particularly as, as is often the case with Loach, many of the cast are not professional actors. Without checking the cast notes, or recognising a familiar face, you'd be hard pushed to distinguish between the pro's and the railwaymen and entertainers on screen.
A number of key characters develop, and one can't help but feel that the woes of their world are not simply those of the new labour market. Half of the characters look, thanks to a diet of fish and chips and beer, as if retirement age isn't something that needs to be planned for, and there's the menace of domestic violence alluded to with one of the characters who's marriage has broken down prior to the film. This is to say that the film is a complex human story, with humour and sadness that spring forth regardless of the political subtext.
The political subtext though does propel the action. This is political tragedy, where the dark workings of fate have been replaced by the dark workings of the company. The question hangs over each of the characters, did they choose their ultimate destiny, or was it chosen for them all along. There are no simple answers provided either. The choice is always theirs, to seek voluntary redundancy, although in reality it's made clear that the company will slowly but surely wear down those who remain. Once voluntary redundancy has been taken, all return to work as 'contractors', earning above the odds wages, but without any of the security. The dot com generation should be able to identify perfectly to the job insecurity angle, and the idea of being made redundant one day, only to return the next to do the same job for a higher wage on a short term contract.
Like most good tragedies, the final act has all the action, and is not necessarily surprising but rather the fulfilment of all the arguments previously. Here there is a strong statement being dramatically made, that the tragedy that occurs is a direct result of the political decisions made. At the same time, the actions of the central characters when faced with the moment when they must act, choose to do so in a manner that is shameful – Fate, Economics, or weakness of character , the decision is left to the audience to decide.
“Bellisima”, I hear a woman near me exclaim as the credits roll, emotion in her voice. The verdict of a left leaning Italian for a polemical film maker or the appreciation of a film goer for a rich, complex, and relevant story? Suspend your judgements momentarily and see the film, then, as with so many things, the decision is yours.