Review 3: I, Daniel Blake
By Eva Claire Schwartz
In I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach gives us a common man who becomes an unaware
martyr to a heath care system that doesn’t value the people it serves.
Throughout the film, our beloved underdog, Daniel Blake (Dave Johns), is hit
with frustrating roadblocks that deter not only his health, but his quality of
living. We watch as he loses everything to his name, and yet continues to be
the selfless, loving neighbor who puts everyone above himself.
We meet thick-Cockney-accented,
naturally jolly-faced Daniel Blake in total darkness, hearing only an over the
phone call centering on the benefits he receives from the government. Having a
bad heart condition, he has recently suffered a heart attack that leaves him
unable to work. This is not, however, as bad as it will get for widower Blake.
The Employment and Support Allowance from the government have chosen an incompetent
“healthcare professional” to assess Daniel’s condition, and against all
doctor’s order, deems him suited for work.
Here is our frustrating Catch-22
which keeps the protagonist from living with a peace of mind: in order to
receive the benefits he needs to live at a level above homelessness, he must
prove that he is actively seeking work. Yet, he cannot accept any kind of job
offer due to the fact that he is still in recovery from his heart attack.
Loach plays this as frustratingly as
needed. Daniel is kind in an old-man-disgruntled way, but manages to still show
unfaltering affection for the most important people in his life such as the two
young adult neighbors who are constantly up to no good.
In the dawn of the technologically
elite, Daniel also grapples with a society that requires vast internet
knowledge. Scene after scene he is told to fill out unimaginable forms online,
yet the social worker who sneaks over to help him use a computer is publicly
shamed for doing so. An older audience can’t help but identify with him and a
younger audience can’t help but replace him with a beloved family member or
friend who constantly calls them with questions about screens and buttons.
During a disheartening wait line at
the benefits office one day, the title character sticks up for the rights of
single mother Katie (Hayley Squires), who totes two young children around with
her. Recently leaving a homeless shelter after being placed far from her family
in London, Katie needs what Daniel offers: altruistic friendship. The four form
a kind of misfit family - Daniel teaching the squirmy son how to sand wood and
picking older up from school. He leaves her money he doesn’t have to pay for
heat and in turn she secretly forgoes meals in order to include him in family
dinner.
Their struggles develop parallel to
each other. Daniel continues to be denied the benefits he needs, making him
literally one step from living on the streets. Katie, having not eaten in an
unknown number of days, rips the lid off of a can of beans in the food bank and
pours them into her mouth. Both are becoming products of the system. Both are
being torn down. Both can’t seem to catch a break.
Daniel’s unconceivable selflessness
remains infallible, yet we believe every minute of it. His love for others
helps to establish him as a productive member of the community. He is not the
deadweight, dropout that politicians and media want us to make of those on the
welfare system. He is upstanding and courteous. Hardworking and loving.
This is clearly a jab at the system
by the liberal-minded Loach, and we should (and do) believe every bit of it.
Here we have two honest and diligent people, Katie and Daniel, who despite
their efforts, cannot seem to crawl out of the hole that they had no part in
digging.
Frankly, this film is important. It
is memorable and chilling because the concept of people being cheated by an
unfair system detrimental to their health and stability is not new. With
government systems switching their in-person presence to an online presence,
the bureaucracy surrenders the last bit of social credibility it has left. If
only staff members could have been able to spend time helping Daniel fill out
his CV and talking through his problems. Instead, this carpenter who has
survived off a tangible craft and customer service for decades, is assumed to
understand the ins and outs of a metal box that leads to a world online.
Dave Johns trades in his comedian
hat to portray the very real and very honest Daniel Blake. He approaches his
character with empathy, depicting Daniel giving the system every chance until
he absolutely cannot take any more of their deception. Johns transitions into the
beloved Daniel, giving us moments of quiet comedy, loud proclamations, and
sweet gestures. He wins us over by becoming so investing, that by the end of
the film, I could have sworn Daniel Blake was a relatively close friend or
earnest uncle.
The film leads up to a masterful
ending that will have you walking around days after suddenly struck by the need
to get up and do something – anything really. Loach brings us a light in a
jaded system. In a generation where we take technology and privilege for
granted, it forces us to put down our smart phones, step away from our screens,
and think.
Director: Ken Loach
Writer: Paul Laverty
Producer: Rebecca O’Brien
Cast: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Dylan McKiernan,
Briana Shann, Kate Rutter, Sharon Percy, Kema Sikazwe
Run Time: 100 minutes
No comments:
Post a Comment