Raining Stones

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Bert D @LordBort92 Feb 1 didn't know the UK was already a depressing shithole back then See more John T @RT39995400 May 18 As it was entertaining at first it then went into a rubbish quick ending , I was left shocked with it just ends 😱 See more Chris D @RT74854988 03/18/2025 Good for realism to reflect the times but the acting is not a strong point and there isn't much comedy, its no Kes See more harwee h @RT06454255 12/17/2023 It hits a good balance about the film's themes of morality, resilience and continued struggles of the working class. See more Matthew B @RT07450941 09/05/2023 There are the ingredients of a light and insubstantial comedy in Raining Stones, Ken Loach's 1993 movie set in Middleton, in Greater Manchester. The story sounds like a conventional comic plot – a father getting into various ludicrous scrapes in an attempt to make his daughter happy. There is also the germ of a tragedy in Raining Stones. Five years later, in My Name is Joe, Loach would use a similar plot template to produce a less happy result. Both films portray a well-meaning man living in an area of deprivation who gets involved with the wrong people while trying to perform a kind act for someone else. He gets in deeper, and feels more and more trapped and frustrated by his inability to do the right thing, until finally there is an explosion of anger and violence. The two elements of Raining Stones here balance one another out. What we have instead is a film that is broadly comic and one of Loach's happier films, but which also contains a serious undercurrent to it. It is a comedy that veers towards tragedy at times, but finally managed to avoid it. The most serious situation occurs towards the end of the movie when the sadistic loan sharks that we have seen earlier turn up at Bob's house. It seems that he has borrowed money for the dress, and a less scrupulous individual has bought his debt. Father Barry prevents Bob from taking a course that will have bad consequences for Bob, because he recognises that our hero is essentially a good man: "You're not an evil man, Bob. People like yourself are hungering for justice in the name of Christ who was himself the bread of life you deserve it." Whether or not you believe in Father Barry's religion, I hope that you will join with me in agreeing with the priest's verdict on Bob's character. I wrote a longer appreciation of Raining Stones on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2019/05/19/raining-stones-1993/ See more Dave S @RT68722908 02/16/2022 In Raining Stones, the story is simple: an unemployed laborer in northern England desperately tries to scratch up enough money to pay for his daughter's communion dress. Whether it's stealing sheep, cleaning out sewage drains, or relying on a loan shark, Bob is intent on paying for a new dress so as not to be judged by others. Director Ken Loach has always had an eye out for the economically downtrodden and the unfair hand they've been dealt. Raining Stones does not deviate from this in any way. As grim as the situation may be, the characters always maintain a sense of humor and, more importantly, a sense of dignity. The film has an appropriately gritty look to it, the characters feel real and the acting is great, but a word of warning: if you're not familiar with the confounding Manchester accent, make sure you have the option of subtitles when viewing Raining Stones. Otherwise, it may be a frustrating experience. See more Read all reviews

Raining Stones

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