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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1981
Runtime1h 44m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresDrama
Votes11
DirectorKen Loach
WritersBarry Hines
TypeFeature Film
Rating6.7 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsLooks and Smiles
About Looks and Smiles
Thatcherism and the Irish troubles provide the backdrop for this study of Mick, a well-meaning youth in Sheffield, who has, unlike Dickens' Pip, no expectations. Mick lives with his parents, works on his motorbike, looks for work, and every two weeks gets his check from the dole. There are no jobs. His best mate Alan joins the army to fix tanks and is sent to Belfast to quell Catholics. At a disco, Mick meets Karen, who works at a shoe shop and lives with her recently-separated mum. She offers emotional stability and a route to adulthood while Alan pitches the army. What will become of Mick?
Directed by Ken Loach, Looks and Smiles leans on a strong ensemble — Graham Green, Carolyn Nicholson, Tony Pitts — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1981.
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