Imagine The 400 Blows reconfigured around a working class English boy living in a grimy industrial town and you get some idea of the emotional power of this bleakly realistic film.
Terrific performances, illuminated by Chris Menges' naturalistic but often evocative photography.
New York Times
May 09, 2005
Loach is not a director of notable style, nor can he often refuse the obvious shot, but he seems to have a remarkable talent for handling actors and obtaining performances that are truly memorable.
Slant Magazine
February 21, 2015
The politics of the schoolyard are more important than the politics of London in Kes, and though he finds himself continuously ridiculed, Billy can always come back to his beloved kestrel.
Kes, admirably photographed by Chris Menges (who was camera operator on Poor Cow) is not to be lightly dismissed; and Loach's success with young players especially makes one eager to see his forthcoming film for the Save the Children Fund.
Kes is one of the most astute, engaged films about education and what it takes for kids to be excited about learning or passionate about anything, really, whether in the classroom or roaming the fields with a feathered friend.