Ken Loach’s evocation of a boy’s coming-of-age manages to be touching and tender while never shying from the grit and despair of working-class British life. Bradley’s debut performance as Billy really grabs you; the young boy’s natural, mischievous charisma is evident from the very first frame. His increasingly close relationship with his titular feathered friend is heartbreaking, and only grows as we observe his increasingly close relationship with Kes, his feathered friend. Loach, ever concerned with capturing the social milieu of his native land, fashions both a flavorful, authentic portrait of one struggling community, and a soaring tale of one boy’s hope.