Raining Stones (1993)

Raining Stones: Directed by Ken Loach. With Bruce Jones, Julie Brown, Gemma Phoenix, Ricky Tomlinson. This Ken Loach film tells the story of a man devoted to his family and his religion. Proud, though poor, Bob wants his little girl to have a beautiful (and costly) brand-new dress for her First Communion. His stubbornness and determination get him into trouble as he turns to more and more questionable measures, in his desperation to raise the needed money. This tragic flaw leads him to risk all that he loves and values, his beloved family, indeed even his immortal soul and salvation, in blind pursuit of that goal.

“I watched this on Channel 4 late one night a few years ago. I had had a bad day at work, and was dog-tired. On the verge of turning off the TV, I caught the beginning, and I was immediately hooked.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKen Loach provides a hyper-realistic portrayal of life on the edge in the 1990`s. Bruce Jones (later to play the feckless Les Battersby on Coronation Street) displays a remarkable tenderness as the struggling father who desperately tries to obtain enough money to buy his daughter a communion dress. He, and Ken Loach,indicate that this poor man represents the best of the working class, only forced to crime,in order to feed and clothe his family.He is a true hero.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe grim setting and subject matter (a disintegrating council estate, and dingy pubs) are not allowed to swamp the deeply human nature of the tale, and there are a number of moments (especially provided by Ricky Tomlinson), where the mood is lightened, allowing gritty humour to emerge. The opening, where the two heroes are unsuccessfully trying to steal a sheep is hysterical.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI wouldn`t call myself a great Ken Loach fan, but this is his masterpiece. I would call it one on the best British films of all time.”