The Angels' Share

A young father in Glasgow who narrowly escapes prison and is sent to community service visits a whisky distillery with his group. There they learn a term: the whisky that evaporates from the barrel while it ages is called the angels' share. The visit gives them an idea. Ken Loach directed, his regular collaborator Paul Laverty wrote it and George Fenton scored it. The production is a British, French, Belgian and Italian co-production. Paul Brannigan plays Robbie, with John Henshaw and William Ruane alongside. It won the Jury Prize at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Rotten Tomatoes has 89 percent of 101 reviews positive with a 7.1 average. It grossed 4.3 million pounds internationally. The interesting thing is the tonal shift: the first half hour Loach builds out of violence and unemployment turns in the second half into something close to a heist comedy, and the transition does not land for everyone. Who it is for: viewers who like the strain of Loach that mixes social realism with comedy. Who it is not for: anyone unwilling to work at the accents. The Glasgow speech is demanding even subtitled, and the film does not soften it.