Sweet Sixteen (2002 film)
Encyclopedia
Sweet Sixteen is a 2002 film
by director
Ken Loach
. The film tells the story of a working class
Scottish
teenage boy, Liam (played by Martin Compston
), a typical 'ned
', who dreams of starting afresh with his mother who is completing a prison term. Liam's attempts to raise money for the two of them are set against the backdrop of Greenock
and Port Glasgow
.
In order to begin a new life with his mother Jean, Liam starts dealing in drugs with the aim of getting enough money to buy a mobile home in order to escape the wrath of Stan and the grandfather. The drugs he deals in come from Stan, or more precisely, were stolen from him by Liam and his friend, Pinball. They develop "entrepreneurial skills" and make money very fast. Their acumen for the business is soon recognised by the local "godfathers" of drugs. Liam and Pinball are propositioned to work for them. Liam, whose only goal is to live happily with his mother, readily accepts. He becomes what his stepfather is and what he had heretofore despised. When he crosses the line and engages in illegal activities, he thinks that he should simply leave the city. Unfortunately, he cannot do so, even though he is convinced that a better life awaits him.
In the meantime, Chantelle, Liam’s sister, tries to take care of her son. She is the only sign of hope in the film. Despite the fact that she became a mother very early (perhaps at the age of sixteen), she tries to improve her own situation and that of her little boy, Calum. She engages in part-time work and implores Liam to do the same because she wants Liam to make something "constructive" of his own life. She also attempts to warn her little brother about their mother probably not being so thankful for Liam’s efforts because she is too devoted to Stan. Liam ignores Chantelle's advice because he is so obsessed by the idea that everything will be fine once his mother is released.
As Liam tries to build a new life, he gets more and more in trouble and ends in a seemingly hopeless situation.
to forbid the film to viewers under 18. Spain followed this decision, but other countries, like France or Germany (not under 12) had a different rating system. Ken Loach and Paul Laverty protested against the British procedure in the Guardian.
Paul Laverty asserted that this was "censorship" and "class prejudice" because he got a lot of information to write his scenario from people around Scotland, many of whom were not 18, and were thus denied the opportunity to see the film.
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
by director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Ken Loach
Ken Loach
Kenneth "Ken" Loach is a Palme D'Or winning English film and television director.He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist beliefs, which are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as homelessness , labour rights and child abuse at the...
. The film tells the story of a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
teenage boy, Liam (played by Martin Compston
Martin Compston
Martin Compston is a Scottish actor and former professional footballer. He is perhaps most notable for his role as Liam in Sweet Sixteen, and for his role as Ewan Brodie in Monarch of the Glen.- Biography :...
), a typical 'ned
Ned (Scottish)
Ned is a derogatory term applied in Scotland to hooligans, louts or petty criminals, latterly with the stereotypical implication that they wear casual sports clothes. Such usage in Glasgow dates back to the 1960s or earlier.-Early use of term:...
', who dreams of starting afresh with his mother who is completing a prison term. Liam's attempts to raise money for the two of them are set against the backdrop of Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
and Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
.
Plot
In a few weeks, Liam is going to be sixteen. He and his friends do not attend school anymore. Instead, they prefer to sell cigarettes and defy the police all day long. They are completely left behind in a society which does little to alleviate the bad situation in which they live. Liam's mother is currently in prison, for a crime she did not commit. She will be released in a few weeks, in time for her son's sixteenth birthday. Liam loves his mother very much and his only goal is to save her from her brutal boyfriend, Stan, who deals drugs with Liam’s grandfather.In order to begin a new life with his mother Jean, Liam starts dealing in drugs with the aim of getting enough money to buy a mobile home in order to escape the wrath of Stan and the grandfather. The drugs he deals in come from Stan, or more precisely, were stolen from him by Liam and his friend, Pinball. They develop "entrepreneurial skills" and make money very fast. Their acumen for the business is soon recognised by the local "godfathers" of drugs. Liam and Pinball are propositioned to work for them. Liam, whose only goal is to live happily with his mother, readily accepts. He becomes what his stepfather is and what he had heretofore despised. When he crosses the line and engages in illegal activities, he thinks that he should simply leave the city. Unfortunately, he cannot do so, even though he is convinced that a better life awaits him.
In the meantime, Chantelle, Liam’s sister, tries to take care of her son. She is the only sign of hope in the film. Despite the fact that she became a mother very early (perhaps at the age of sixteen), she tries to improve her own situation and that of her little boy, Calum. She engages in part-time work and implores Liam to do the same because she wants Liam to make something "constructive" of his own life. She also attempts to warn her little brother about their mother probably not being so thankful for Liam’s efforts because she is too devoted to Stan. Liam ignores Chantelle's advice because he is so obsessed by the idea that everything will be fine once his mother is released.
As Liam tries to build a new life, he gets more and more in trouble and ends in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Criticism of BBFC classification
Use of the word "fuck" 313 times and "cunt" about 20 times led the British Board of Film ClassificationBritish Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
to forbid the film to viewers under 18. Spain followed this decision, but other countries, like France or Germany (not under 12) had a different rating system. Ken Loach and Paul Laverty protested against the British procedure in the Guardian.
Paul Laverty asserted that this was "censorship" and "class prejudice" because he got a lot of information to write his scenario from people around Scotland, many of whom were not 18, and were thus denied the opportunity to see the film.