Robbie Emmerson barely escapes a prison sentence because of his pregnant girlfriend Leonie. He has a history of violence. He is thrown into community service with a group of misfits. He tries to visit Leonie at the hospital but her relatives beat him up. He swears to his baby son that he will change his ways. After a distillery tour, he finds interest in the art of whiskey. However his past with another thug Clancy won't leave him alone, and Leonie's father offers him $5k to leave Glasgow. Group leader Harry takes the group to Edinburgh for a whiskey meeting. Robbie's nose impresses whiskey collector Thaddeus Maloney and they are told about a priceless cask of whiskey coming soon to auction. Hound by Clancy's guys and in desperation, Robbie and the other misfits Mo, Albert, and Rhino go on a quest to steal the valuable whiskey.
Directed by legendary English socialist Ken Loach, this is a nice little film about a small group of miscreants. I like Robbie and the scene with his victims. The lighter moments work most of the times. Albert is the big fool. However I found him a little too whinny. He's funny sometimes but other times I found him annoying. This has some funny moments and some heart breaking moments.
The Angels' Share
2012
Action / Comedy / Crime / Drama
The Angels' Share
2012
Action / Comedy / Crime / Drama
Keywords: scotlandwhiskeycommunity service
Plot summary
This bitter sweet comedy follows protagonist Robbie as he sneaks into the maternity hospital to visit his young girlfriend Leonie and hold his newborn son Luke for the first time. Overwhelmed by the moment, he swears that Luke will not have the same tragic life he has had. Escaping a prison sentence by the skin of his teeth, he's given one last chance......While serving a community service order, he meets Rhino, Albert and Mo who, like him, find it impossible to find work because of their criminal records. Little did Robbie imagine how turning to drink might change their lives - not cheap fortified wine, but the best malt whiskies in the world. Will it be 'slopping out' for the next twenty years, or a new future with 'Uisge Beatha' the 'Water of Life?' Only the angels know........
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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both funny and heart breaking
Wet your appetite
Actually it makes you want to have a sip ... or two. Well at leas that's how the movie did affect me. Don't worry, I could resist the urge to drink alcohol.
Seriously though: This is another Ken Loach movie and if you are a fan of watching the movies in their original language, I hope your British English is polished enough to understand what is going on. Let me tell you that movies like that might have really have caused problems, back when I was used the American way of talking.
The movie, that is being shown in two versions (15 and 18 rated) in the UK, one having more foul language than the other, is a really great ensemble story. Or as another reviewer wrote: A story with heart ... and a drink or two of course. This drama has some interesting characters to offer and you will root for them, no matter how many flaws you'll see in them :o)
Have a drink before its gone...
The movie starts out pretty slowly and doesn't really pick up pace before the friends come up with a risky plan to get rich, without spoiling more of the story, that's all I will mention about that.
The story told in "The Angels' Share" is about a group of young delinquents who are taken to a whiskey distillery where they concoct a plan that will make them rich.
For a comedy then there was surprisingly little to laugh about throughout the course of the movie, which was a shame because it would have spruced up the movie.
What worked in "The Angels' Share" was the cast, because they had managed to get some nicely talented actors and actresses. And it was nice to watch a movie with all new faces. There was a good chemistry amongst those on the screen. Another thing that worked well was the colorful and likable characters in the story.
I loathe whiskey, so the whole aspect of it being a grand thing with the rare whiskey was lost on me. it all take like charred wood to me.
For me, this movie was a mediocre experience, given the lack of comedy, and thus I score it five out of ten stars.