Sweet Sixteen

Set in Greenock, this is the raw, compassionate and perceptive story of an impoverished teenager (wonderfully acted by newcomer Compston) who tries desperately to find a stable home for his mother - just emerging from prison and himself. Critically acclaimed as Loach's best for over a decade, the film portrays an age-group cruelly and callously betrayed by an uncaring older generation. Don't expect easy answers - it's unashamedly political, realistic and hard-hitting, and warns of a desperate plight which it would be perilous to ignore. Superbly scripted (Paul Laverty) and shot (Barry Ackroyd), Loach has assembled a winning team.