Sweet Sixteen

Sweet Sixteen

Sweet Sixteen

Liam is a young, restless teen struggling to realise his dream in the gritty and dismal streets of Greenock,unemployment is rampant and little hope is available to the city's youth. He is waiting for the release of his mother, Jean, from prison where she is completing a prison term for a crime that her boyfriend actually committed. Her boyfriend, Stan, is a crude and obnoxious drug pusher. Liam's equally rough and foul-mouthed. Liam is determined to rescue his mother from him, which means creating a safe haven beyond their reach. But first he's got to raise the cash--no small feat for a young man. It's not long before Liam and his pals' crazy schemes lead them into all sorts of trouble. Finding himself dangerously out of his depth, Liam knows he should walk away. Only this time, he just can't let go. This movie has everything in it, coming from Greenock myself, it is a fact that things like that happen everyday, the drugs are very much an everyday thing

I have only just seen this film for the first time and as a teenager that has gone through similar things as Liam, I found it brilliant. The acting was good from everyone and the whole story was very well written. It is on the whole a very sad film but Sweet Sixteen is also good because it does provide other small elements such as comedy. It shows the consequences of a young Scottish lad having a poor upbringing and being brought up in a bad environment. Liam is forced into very bad situations and it makes the viewer feel uneasy yet wanting Liam to come out OK. I thoroughly enjoyed this emotional film from start to finish and I hope to watch it many times in the future. You should see this film.

A great movie that doesn't let you off the emotional hook for one second. It doesn't provide the usual Hollywood happy ending or even a sense of resolution, for that matter. It tells a story of a troubled kid with no prospects who can't break out of the system he's in, no matter how hard he tries. At the same time, it never pities him or present him as just a victim. Liam's toughness and determination to make a life for himself and his mother make him heroic, even if his dream is impossible in the end. Liam acts, even as the society he's in acts upon him. In the end, stripped of his illusions, he may have some kind of chance at a life. Or maybe not. The film doesn't give you the answers. Great acting. Watch it with the English subtitles on, the accent is way too thick to follow.

how gay are the 3 muggers in this movie? the tall one! i think his name is Robert! or big Bobbie as he's known to the boys. I mean come on he fights like a big lady boy, he could wrestle with me in my bed any day. they don't call me big boy lover for nothing you know. well thats all im gonna write i'm gonna go drool over my mugger man. im sure I've seen him in other man movies if you know what i mean lol. any way enough of me drooling over these gay muggers. i love his Scottish accent. any way the movie is about a young guy from greenock whos mummy is in jail and due for release soon. he buys a caravan, with drug money. it gets burned down and well i could tell you a lot more but i don't want to spoil the movie for everyone.

Ken Loach is the most pretentious, ineffective filmmaker to surface. The load of crap I had to swallow watching this film almost demanded a stomach pump. No one should be forced to watch this or any other Ken Loach film. Loach's use of a ridiculous accent is tried and uninteresting. The kid can act all right, but there is just so little honesty in this tried and preachy film that nothing can save it. Look, if you want to watch an unintelligent, preachy piece of cinematic rubbish, then by all means watch this film. If you have any other plans, watch anything else. I think most Saturday morning cartoons are more interesting and natural.

Loach does it again - he could make a film of himself boiling an egg and it would still be the best thing ever. There is one scene in which the protagonist has to prove himself by stabbing someone - I shan't spoil it for you but the denouement provoked several loud gasps from the (normally very restrained art-house cinema) audience. I had to half carry my wife out of this one at the end, she was so distraught, but don't let this put you off - this is adrenaline film making, taking you to an edge and dropping you off it. The man's a genius - but if you're not up to the misery of this film then watch Bread and Roses instead - it's awesome too, but happier, and inspires you big time! Well done loach

i don't think this film should be an 18 - i was only sixteen when i saw it, the main actor was only 15/16 when it was made, along with most of the main characters. So technically they weren't allowed to watch the film they had made! There is nothing in this film that is going to offend anyone, 16 year olds can watch a lot worse than this! There is a lot of swearing in it but what teenagers don't swear?! i think its a brilliant film and should be available for people that are the age of the character 'Liam' to see! i enjoyed the film when i was only sixteen and there was nothing in it that i didn't understand or that offended me!