It's a Free World

Any new Ken Loach movie is an event. At least to me it is. And his latest film, It's a Free World, is no exception. As usual the film is written by Paul Laverty and produced by Rebecca O'Brien.

The story is a deceptively simple one. Angie (Kierston Wareing) works for a London based agency which recruits immigrants for various jobs back in the UK. When the film starts Angie is working in Poland. Because of an incident that was not her fault Angie is let go from her job. Needless to say, she is fuming. She decides to start her own agency and enlists the help of her friend and roommate Rose (Juliet Ellis). Her agency tries to get jobs for both legal and illegal immigrants. But the sensible Rose does not want to get mixed up with illegals.

Angie has a son named Jamie (Joe Siffleet) who lives with her parents. He wants to live with her but it is not possible. Along the way Angie meets a Polish immigrant named Karel (Leslaw Zurek). They like each other but because of their circumstances a relationship is out of the question.

I will not say more about the plot. The film raises some questions. Why do these immigrants go to Western countries for opportunities? They are made poverty wages and are treated poorly. Why don't their countries provide decent jobs for them? How can we be compassionate to immigrants and at the same time save the jobs of home grown workers? The performances are all good and Kierston Wareing is just wonderful.

I saw this fim on IFC Festivals on demand on Time Warner Cable. I suggest that you check it out. Hopefully, you will feel the same about it as I did.