From the beginning of the movie with a pair of brothers lying in bed in the early morning and ending silently at the end, it is hard to imagine that every minute is so direct to the heart and loyal to life. The story of the protagonist in the film is very simple, and the difficulties he faced are clearly presented early, but the strong sense of reality in it can be described as terrifying, because I can almost feel the director also peeking into my childhood.
It is usually documentary to describe realistic subjects. The value of the subject matter itself is powerful enough that there is no need to superfluous, but on the other hand, it often appears serious or even dry. And the biggest surprise in Kes is that I think it is so funny, but at the same time it can be as fearsome as caring for porcelain. How strange! The last movie that fascinated me so much was "Once Upon a Time in America." I think this magic comes from the director's incomparable excavation of the real world and precise memories of childhood experiences. I don't understand British society in the 1960s, but I feel the same about what happened to the protagonist Casper. Whether it is cold violence from relatives or restraint in school, Casper has long been accustomed and ignored it. From his words, I can feel the adult-like perseverance, the innocence and innocence, but I can't hear the pain in his heart (except at the end), because he has long been used to it, and accepts everything. Fortunately, in a rough and indifferent environment, he still has a corner where he can find the only "care" Kes.
The relationship between Casper and Kes is basically a clever contrast of the relationship between the protagonist and the environment. The most spiritual moment is undoubtedly following one person and one eagle outdoors. The creatures that should belong to the wild are tamed by the protagonist, but the protagonist who should have a normal life loses the love he deserves. Ken Roach unfolds this bitterness at a soothing pace, and inadvertently even the slightest change in expression can deeply hurt the audience. Although the Chinese translation is "The Child and the Eagle", in fact, only the child is the only protagonist.
The ending of the movie is undoubtedly calm, restrained and extremely sad. Kes was brutally strangled in the hands of his brother. Casper found the body and was buried in the mud. The movie ended here, as if everything that happened was trivial. Let reality return to normal, but all the emotions of sorrow, sadness, and emptiness have been recorded forever. Looking back at this movie from 50 years ago, Ken Lodge’s second feature film, it is so simple and unpretentious. Still water flows deep.
View more about Kes reviews
