Sorry We Missed You
Bleak drama about the gig economy has strong language.
Sorry We Missed You
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Sorry We Missed You is a depressing yet compelling Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake, Kes) drama about the pitfalls of the gig economy. Expect lots of strong language, including multiple use of "f--k," "s--t," "bastard," and "d--khead." "C--t" is used once. There's sporadic violence: In one scene, a character is attacked, robbed, and has a bottle of urine poured over him. He's left with a bruised and bloody face, a swollen eye, a damaged arm, and suspected broken ribs. A fight between father and son threatens to break out, but they're quickly separated. Later, though, the father does hit his son across the face after drinking three beers. A character is grabbed by the throat after an argument. Themes of hard work and the importance of family are central to the movie. The movie's primary purpose is highlighting how unfair and hopeless certain working conditions can be for people.
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This movie lacks... everything!
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What's the Story?
In SORRY WE MISSED YOU, family man Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) starts a job as a delivery man with the promise that he'll be his own boss and will soon have enough money to buy his family a house. But as the reality of the job hits home and fees and fines mount up, Ricky's hopes of providing a better life come crashing down, and he's left in a never-ending downward spiral.
Is It Any Good?
He may be in his 80s, but British filmmaker Ken Loach still has plenty to say about social ills; this time he focuses on gig-economy jobs and, once again, he doesn't pull any punches. Sorry We Missed You is a bleak ride from start to finish -- quite literally, as Ricky takes his white van across the northeast of England, delivering the packages that we order on a daily basis. The largely unknown cast's performances may not be the most polished, but that only adds to the realism, which is key to the movie -- Loach drums home that this is happening, again quite literally, on our doorsteps.
Unlike other Loach films, there's not so much a climax, just a continuous road to despair, although Ricky's wife Abbie's (Debbie Honeywood) emotional tirade in the hospital is something of a release -- not just for her, but for the audience too. There are moments of light relief -- a family eating take out, a father and daughter bonding in the countryside -- but these are short-lived. A Ken Loach movie is never going to be laugh-a-minute stroll in the park. But, as with so many of his films, Sorry We Missed You provides a megaphone to a section of society whose voice is rarely heard.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong language in Sorry We Missed You. Did it make the characters seem more human and the film more realistic? Did the dialogue in general seem believable to you? Why or why not?
What do you think the movie is saying about society? Does it affect the way you think about delivery services such as Amazon?
Which characters did you sympathize most with, and why? Can you understand the characters' behavior?
What is Ricky's motivation? How does he demonstrate perseverance? Why is this a valuable character strength?
What did you think of Ricky's boss, Maloney? Did you have any sympathy for him?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 6, 2020
- On DVD or streaming: July 7, 2020
- Cast: Debbie Honeywood, Simran Kaur, Kris Hitchen
- Director: Ken Loach
- Studio: Entertainment One
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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