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Sweet Sixteen Reviews

2002

70
from 4245 members

Paul Laverty writes his fourth script with director Ken Loach for the gritty coming-of-age drama Sweet Sixteen. Set in the port city of Greenock, Scotland, local kid Liam (Martin Compston) spends his days trying to make money with his best friend, Pinball (William Ruane). When he refuses to use his imprisoned mother, Jean (.. Read more

Starring	Martin Compston, Annmarie Fulton, William Ruane, Michelle Abercromby
Director	Ken Loach
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of Sweet Sixteen
View all (1)
- Grim story of crime offering the only hope of escape from a poverty-striken environment; the specificity of the setting and the performances make it more than special pleading.
- 32240
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:42
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Sweet Sixteen
View all members' reviews (72)
- - 26
  - 2
  A superbly acted, moving film
  
  Ken Loach brings us yet another slice of gritty realism but this has more of an emotional punch than you may expect.
  
  Liam(Martin Compston) is trying ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 5381
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Philip Concannon
  - London
  - 03 May 2004 at 22:03
Most recent members' reviews of Sweet Sixteen
View all members' reviews (72)
- - 0
  - 0
  Sweet sixteen
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Worth a watch I enjoyed it very much can see where and how easy it is to get into that positon in life.
  
  Report this review
- 1079444
- - a customer
  - 07 Jan 2012 at 16:05
- - 1
  - 0
  Simply Unmissable
  
  Beautifully shot and acted, it depicts the gritty reality of life up north in poverty and life revolving around hard drugs. Sad an powerfull but does draw a few... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1066004
- - markomac
  - 2 reviews
  - Newcastle upon Tyne
  - 23 Nov 2011 at 00:09
- - 0
  - 1
  Sweet Sixteen
  
  Ken Loach film, lot of bad language I wouldn't recommend not for me anyway sorry seen better films a lot better films..
  
  Report this review
- 1042995
- - Deeleeds
  - 59 reviews
  - Leeds
  - 20 Sep 2011 at 22:23
- - 1
  - 0
  Ignore the critic's review
  
  This is a good film; moving, believable, well acted and finely constructed.
  
  I can't understand the critic's review of 2 stars.. is this a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1035775
- - Bug37
  - 1 review
  - 01 Sep 2011 at 11:50
- - 2
  - 0
  The Smell of Sweet Success
  
  Laverty & Loach do it again in a thoroughly gripping story about misplaced love - full of hope and optimism, striving for freedom following a messed-up ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1026594
- - LayZa
  - 8 reviews
  - 07 Aug 2011 at 23:40
- - 1
  - 0
  Bit of a hidden gem
  
  Superb acting by all, but especially by the lead character. Set in the grim suburbs of Glasgow, this film is both shocking, funny and endearing. Worth a look
  
  Report this review
- 1024712
- - a customer
  - OXON
  - 03 Aug 2011 at 07:42
- - 1
  - 2
  Sweet and brutal
  
  The harsh scottish housing estate existance (subtitles needed) form the backdrop to this tale of keeping off drugs and climbing from the gutter.
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 847435
- - darcy01
  - 13 reviews
  - Leeds
  - 10 Jan 2010 at 16:12
- - 0
  - 0
  ....life is just too short
  
  ...the young actors were amazing. There are some choice scenes and very funny too, which makes it very difficult to comprehend why I didn't marvel at it as ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 840917
- - Sebastian362
  - 46 reviews
  - England
  - 18 Dec 2009 at 19:44
- - 0
  - 0
  Sweet Sixteen
  
  Once you can get used to the Glasgow dialect this is a fantastic film, totally believeable!
  
  Report this review
- 830424
- - Lexan
  - 2 reviews
  - Glos
  - 12 Nov 2009 at 16:44
- - 0
  - 0
  Great and Grim - is it reality?
  
  What stands out about this film is the superb performance not just of the young Martin Compston in his debut role, but of all the young cast.
  
  We'... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 823006
- - a customer
  - Isle of Skye, Scotland
  - 20 Oct 2009 at 11:24
View all members' reviews (72)

- - 26
  - 2
  A superbly acted, moving film
  
  Ken Loach brings us yet another slice of gritty realism but this has more of an emotional punch than you may expect.
  
  Liam(Martin Compston) is trying ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 5381
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Philip Concannon
  - London
  - 03 May 2004 at 22:03
- - 7
  - 3
  Superb Movie
  
  Based in Greenock Where i Live (you can see my house from a shot in the film) it follows Liam (Martin Compston) as he waits for his mum to be released from ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 3029
- - Paul Killeen
  - Greenock, Scotland
  - 08 Mar 2004 at 19:41
- - 5
  - 1
  white folks have family values?
  
  oh yes some still do. brilliant film about a boy who has been forced to growe up fast and takes care of things. a very moving peice of modern cinema, or should... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 15259
- - a customer
  - hollywood
  - 19 Aug 2004 at 04:05
- - 3
  - 0
  I watched this film ...
  
  I watched this film because it was made by the same producer of the film 'Pure' which I liked. This film follows a similar story as 'Pure' does... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 38412
- - a customer
  - LONDON
  - 14 Jun 2004 at 20:01
- - 3
  - 0
  Give us 'the gear'
  
  This is a raw slice of Greenock life among the criminal underclass. The acting is very good, particularly from the Liam and Pinball characters. It does have a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 87322
- - Zamy
  - 552 reviews
  - London
  - 01 Apr 2005 at 12:56
- - 3
  - 0
  Gritty
  
  I am a great lover in British films so I thought I should take a chance on watching this even though I was originally viewing Top Of The Pops 2 at the same time... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 324038
- - LadySleek
  - Birmingham
  - 21 Feb 2005 at 21:13
- - 3
  - 0
  Energy and bottle
  
  Great to see Greenock on film and ok the subject matter is grim but the wee man Compston shines a light over the firth of Clyde that glows long after the bitter... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 329196
- - Mogger
  - 4 reviews
  - York
  - 01 Apr 2005 at 16:28
- - 3
  - 0
  Put it on your list!
  
  I'm not usually a Mike Leigh fan - it's just all so depressing - but there was something about this that had me hoping for the best the whole way ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 345648
- - Claire73
  - Perth and Kinross
  - 27 Oct 2005 at 09:39
- - 3
  - 0
  Wonderful
  
  A fantastic film from Loach with Martin Compston giving one of the best performances ever in a Loach production, and he's up against some stiff competition... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 350205
- - bobbyperu
  - Merseyside
  - 05 Oct 2005 at 15:11
- - 2
  - 0
  Where's the Disney?
  
  Another stark and depressing Loach film, with excellent performances, but true to real life for many folk. Be warned that, if you live south of the Scottish ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 15459
- - a customer
  - Scotland
  - 20 Aug 2004 at 15:35

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Sweet Sixteen
  
  Paul Laverty writes his fourth script with director Ken Loach for the gritty coming-of-age drama Sweet Sixteen. Set in the port city of Greenock, Scotland, local kid Liam (Martin Compston) spends his days trying to make money with his best friend, Pinball (William Ruane). When he refuses to use his ...