Ken Loach's debut is almost like a Scottish version of The 400 Blows, but I actually (blasphemy!) prefer it. It's a charming, funny and grim story of a young lad who tames a kestral and gets into strife at school. One of the teachers is nice but stern, but every other adult in the film is awful in their own unique way. The worst is the sports teacher, who's a complete bastard, and also painfully funny to watch. The whole film's a bit like that; it'd be a comedy if it weren't so depressing.

Very straightforward, but very strong in its message. The acting by Bradley in the lead is phenomenal.

Fantastic and heart breaking film.

very affecting, but a bit dated in that the issues aren't as actual anymore

Truly impressive filmmaking. The film's stark realism and simple yet involving story are captivating from the get go and while the plot is quite simple it's the main character's surroundings that add layers of depth to the film.

It's hard getting past the awful sound design, and even harder to get past the accents, but this proves to be a rather affecting and very well-acted insight of a time period and setting more depressing than any would've thought.

"Kes" is one of those films that has weaved its way into the British psyche, precisely because even today, 40 years after it was made, it still encompasses and reflects much of working class British society, at least in an ideological if not practically realistic & modern way. "Kes" is a stark and miserable film, but also funny and strangely hopeful, until its tragic and grim final moments. Ending a low note is quintessentially British! I'm pretty sure all of Barnsley is the poor end of Barnley!

Impressive debut. The first half hour doesn't promise anything of significance, but Loach's empathic gaze makes itself more and more visible further into the film, and the grief-stricken ending carry a solemn dignity and hopefulness in all its mournfulness; the decisive humanism Loach so carefully have establish sits so deep at this moment that one cannot go exclusively sad out of the film experience.

Loach paints a tangible portrait of a youth's '60s working class existence with a winning mixture of humour and drama. The film's a succession of excellently written scenes strung together by an overwhelming sense of humanism and soul.

An unflinching, gritty look at working class England. The amateur David Bradley is very natural as the lead character, Billy.

"Throbs with a simple truthfulness...Loach shows his complimentary interest in documentary-influences social realism and the improvisational search for the authentic."

Very detailed, funny, and ultimately tragic portrait.

Kes succeeds not because of the heartache, which is a bit trite when it comes down to it, but because of the moments of joy that Casper experiences with his beautiful bird.

I can't believe that (1) I watched a touching coming-of-age tale about a boy and his falcon, nor that (2) I enjoyed it immensely

Interesting in parts, but really fails by the end there. I don't really like British Realism anyway, so if that's your thing, by all means watch it!

About the bleakest ending to a film ever. The perfect antidote to all the feel good plucky underdog rom-com bollocks perpertrated on the British public.

It felt like a docomentary - great sense of how the UK used to be couple of years ago.