I, Daniel Blake

Play trailer

2:22

I, Daniel Blake

R

2017

1h 37m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

184 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) is a 59-year-old widowed carpenter who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable to work. Despite his doctor's diagnosis, British authorities deny Blake's benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates his way through an agonizing appeal process, he begins to develop a strong bond with a destitute, single mother (Hayley Squires) who's struggling to take care of her two children.

Critics Consensus

I, Daniel Blake marks yet another well-told chapter in director Ken Loach's powerfully populist filmography.

Read Critics Reviews

Namrata Joshi

The Hindu

07/24/2018

I, Daniel Blake is about the struggles of an ailing common man against the labyrinthine welfare bureaucracy to get that elusive 'employment and support allowance.'

Go to Full Review

Michael Upchurch

Seattle Times

06/29/2017

3/4

Whichever side you come down on, Johns' and Squires' low-key performances are impressive, and the technological/red-tape hurdles their characters face feel stingingly accurate.

Go to Full Review

Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

06/12/2017

Politically, of course, it cleaves to the left, yet by temperament it shrinks from progress.

Go to Full Review

Cameron Meier

MeierMovies.com

Aug 11

4.25/5

It’s no surprise Loach made a film that delivers such an emotional yet truthful pummeling. After all, he’s been neglecting to pull his punches since the late 1960s.

Go to Full Review

Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/09/2024

5/5

Ken Loach proves that one does not need some extraordinary circumstances...to make a powerful...film full of conviction – it is simply enough to show life as it is – a simple daily struggle known to many and only too well.

Go to Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

09/04/2023

4/5

Loach’s plain-speaking film is a touchingly realistic parable.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Blake- N

@PBSAniDom 3d

I, Daniel Blake is a powerful and deeply moving drama that highlights the struggles of ordinary people within a difficult system. It tells its story with honesty and emotional weight, making it hard to forget. The performances feel incredibly natural and grounded, helping every moment feel real rather than scripted. The characters are portrayed with dignity and humanity, which adds to the film’s impact. The film’s strength lies in its social realism, showing everyday challenges without exaggeration or sentimentality. It creates a quiet but powerful sense of frustration and empathy. Overall, I, Daniel Blake is an important and emotionally resonant film that stays with you long after it ends. I rate it a 9/10.

See more

Ian H

@Howellsey Aug 2

Kafkaesque bureaucracy in action. Sad, true and very moving

See more

David R

@DavidRankin Jun 28

Good movie. The system really killed this good man. Government bureaucracy at is best while people struggle to make ends meet.

See more

Liam D

@RT46663598 01/29/2025

Preston Media

See more

Jonathan K

@aFIREintheattic 09/09/2024

This one went a direction I wasn't expecting. It emotionally comes at you out of nowhere, but in a good way. It's quite the commentary on our social systems and bureaucracies and how we (don't) take care of the elderly or people in need on this planet. The two lead actors are very good. Don't let the humdrum plot synopsis fool you, this is a worthwhile watch.

See more

João Vitor d

@RT42920384 07/15/2024

A simple story, but very effective in the message it wants to convey. The feeling of agony and frustration remains throughout the film. The film's theme is the bureaucracy of the state and how it affects the people who need it the most. You can easily connect with the film. With good performances, especially from Hayley Squires, the scenes with a greater emotional charge are executed smoothly and have their effect (see the Foodbank scene). A film with good performances, a good story, that manages to move you and that in the end, life's suck.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Ken Loach

Director

Dave Johns

Daniel Blake

Hayley Squires

Katie

Dylan McKiernan

Dylan

Briana Shann

Daisy

Kate Rutter

Ann

Manchester by the Sea

96%

78%

Manchester by the Sea

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Manchester by the Sea

We Need to Talk About Kevin

74%

78%

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Watchlist

American Pastoral

24%

32%

American Pastoral

Watchlist

TRAILER

for American Pastoral

The Last Face

8%

35%

The Last Face

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Last Face

The Headhunter's Calling

17%

57%

The Headhunter's Calling

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Headhunter's Calling

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

I, Daniel Blake: Trailer 1

2:22

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) is a 59-year-old widowed carpenter who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable to work. Despite his doctor's diagnosis, British authorities deny Blake's benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates his way through an agonizing appeal process, he begins to develop a strong bond with a destitute, single mother (Hayley Squires) who's struggling to take care of her two children.

Director: Ken Loach
Producer: Rebecca O'Brien
Screenwriter: Paul Laverty
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions, BBC Films, Wild Bunch
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 2, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $258.2K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)