Sweet Sixteen

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Sweet Sixteen ★★★ 2002 (R)

Compston is exceptional in his debut role of teenaged Liam, who lives in Greenock, Scotland where unemployment and violence are rampant. Liam's one wish is to buy a trailer he can move his mother Jean (Coulter) into when she's released from prison in time for his 16th birthday. In order to get the money, petty criminal Martin and his friend Pinball (Ruane) steal the heroin stash of Jean's dealer boyfriend Stan (McCormack). Selling it puts the boys in opposition to local gangster Tony (McCardie), who decides to hire Martin himself. Then things go from bad to worse. Film is melancholy, humorous, tender, and subtitled because of the thick Scottish accents. 106m/C VHS, DVD . GB GE SP Martin Compston, William Ruane, Annmarie Fulton, Michelle Coulter, Gary McCormack, Martin McCardie, Michelle Abercromby, Tommy McKee; D: Ken Loach; W: Paul Laverty; C: Barry Ackroyd; M: George Fenton. Cannes ‘03: Screenplay.