MovieChat Forums > I, Daniel Blake (2017) Discussion > The same people who find this film movin...

The same people who find this film moving and powerful...

posted 8 years ago by rabbitmoon
6 replies | jump to latest

...probably wouldn't give a guy like Daniel Blake 10 minutes of their time if listening to him tell his story in a cafe.

The problem is best observed by the arthouse cinema crowd from the comfortable distance of a £10 seat in a cinema screen, where you can debate how "broken" the system is over a nice beer or coffee afterwards, and how "terrible" it is for a lot of people. Certainly not from actually having to talk to one of these people, connect with them, listen to them, be in a position where you might have to offer empathy or feel a pressure of offering financial support.

Your heart might bleed for someone like Daniel Blake, but if you saw someone on benefits buying Tesco economy essentials and clearly struggling financially, would you offer the same cinema ticket price to help them out and offer the kindness of a stranger, to buy something they could actually enjoy? I doubt it. I once offered to pay for the shopping of such a person in Tesco, as a one-off random thing, and they cried tears of joy.

You don't need to offer a long term solution, to still be able to help. Even just listening, or empathising, and not making someone feel invisible goes such a long way.

The bureaucracy of the welfare system, which does actually help a lot of people, is a red herring and distraction when compared to the much bigger problem of how disconnected, uncaring and unable to empathise, most of society has become. Declining self-worth becomes a vicious circle, and can become a huge barrier to even feeling worthy of employment or human connection.

[–] Flossieandflo 8 years ago

Hey rabbitmoon, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts and I think it's really great you helped someone out with their shopping - I actually think it takes a lot of bravery to approach someone like that, most of us feel embarrassed, British reserve or whatever IMHO.

But what makes you generalise about the people who find the film powerful & moving? I'm working class myself, for me the film struck a lot of personal chords, I've known a few Dans in my time. A friend fell foul of the same benefit sanctions due to a 'decision maker' earlier this year - he was left with nothing (he lives in a bedsit as it is, can hardly downsize). We very discretely supported him (believe me this man has his pride and it was not easy to get him to accept) as did his other friends, good job his friends stepped up to the mark.

I found this film moving and powerful, yes I was fortunate enough to be able to afford the £10 ticket, doesn't mean I don't understand. My main takeaway from this is that people deserve dignity, in a civilised country my friend would not have needed 'loans' from friends (he worked consistently until ill health struck, just like Dan) and that person would not have needed a hand-out from a kind stranger in Tesco.

[–] silverwhistle 8 years ago

Well said! I think rabbitmoon is naïve in assuming that "people who go to art house cinemas" and people struggling on benefits are separate, discrete categories. Some of us are both.

I have had some horrendous experiences of long-term unemployment and of patchy, low-paid temporary employment; of being reduced to tears of despair by a so-called "advisor" at Working Links whose method was to try to break you down and de-skill you as much as possible ("We have to find ways of hiding the fact you have degrees; apply for cleaning and call centre jobs"). Yes, I have a PhD; yes, I go to art house cinemas when I can afford it; but yes, I have an autistic spectrum condition, which has impacted on my ability to gain/keep employment and at times reduced me to penury.

"Active but Odd"

[–] rabbitmoon 8 years ago

Thanks for your post. I think my point really is this - people like yourself who are already aware of the problems in the system, won't really have much to learn from this film. Those who get it, already got it, in terms of awareness. Whether you or someone you know has ever been caught up in it, you'll be well aware of it. So the film whill strike a chord, or hit home, or be familiar - but thats it, because you already know it.

For people who don't know, who the film is trying to make aware, I dont think they will think "crikey, I must do something about this". I think they will think "oh, poor suckers, Im glad I dont have to bother with anything like that". My experience of the people who go to the cinemas that show films like this, and watch films because theyre talked about in the guardian and win awards, is that theyre often quite snobby and right wing, or liberal in a sappy powerless and wilfully ignorant way.

Thats the crowd Im more generalising about (wrongly or rightly).

[–] TheCineSinge 8 years ago

"the cinemas that show films like this"

Mate, its playing multiplexes up and down the country, picking up word of mouth, and playing to crowds wider than your usual art house audience. Good for it.

[–] elementpicturesltd 8 years ago

So there's no point in showing films like this to more privileged people?

Clearly not everyone who's seen it is going to go out and volunteer in a homeless hostel, but to suggest that people who enjoy independent cinema are incapable of being affected and inspired to act in a positive way shows a pretty simplistic grasp of the world.

[–] 8 years ago

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