The Angels’ Share (2013)
86%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 10 nominations
The Angels’ Share is a surprisingly delightful, uplifting comedy that successfully blends a charming story of redemption with bits of dark humor and a social message
The Angels’ Share is like a good whiskey – it goes down smooth and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. This movie is part comedy, part drama, and all heart. The characters are lovable and flawed, and their scheme to steal the world’s most valuable whiskey is both hilarious and heartwarming. Even if you’re not a whiskey connoisseur, you’ll appreciate the subtle tastes and scents that Loach explores throughout the film. So pour yourself a dram and settle in for a feel-good comedy with a UK edge. Slàinte!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Balblair Distillery, Edderton, Highland, Scotland, UK
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
2012
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 41m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 12, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2013
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring John Henshaw, Gary Maitland, William Ruane, Roger Allam, Paul Brannigan, Jasmin Riggins, directed by Ken Loach, written by Paul Laverty, Comedy, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Deborah Ross, Michael Sragow, Stephanie Merry, Max Nelson, Michael Posner, Linda Barnard, Kip Mooney, Richard Propes, Jim Ross, Julie Crawford, rated MPAA, produced by Rebecca O’Brien, whisky distillery, redemption, social message, Glasgow, Scotland, community service, whiskey tasting, get-rich scheme, working class, rehabilitation, discrimination, minor crimes, distilling, metaphoric, changes, believable acting, strong story, touching, uplifting, dark humor, social realism, contemporary tragicomedy
Worldwide gross: $13,090,471
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $16,876,555
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,775
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,840,409
US/Canada gross: $346,669
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $446,934
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,351
US/Canada opening weekend: $18,837
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $24,285
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,445
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Gary Maitland – Albert
William Ruane – Rhino
Roger Allam – Thaddeus
Paul Brannigan – Robbie
Jasmin Riggins – Mo
Director(s)
Ken Loach
Writer(s)
Paul Laverty
Producer(s)
Rebecca O’Brien
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (103) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (92) | Rotten (11)
Part social realism, part comedy caper, and so good-natured, warm and affectionate it’s rather a joy, even though it doesn’t exactly add up.
September 1, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Modest in scale, expansive in emotions, this movie is a rarity: a contemporary tragicomedy.
March 3, 2014 | Rating: A-
Michael Sragow
Orange County Register
TOP CRITIC
Despite its ultimate sense of optimism, the Glasgow-set dramedy nevertheless carries a sense of foreboding. And yet, that might not have been the intention.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Stephanie Merry
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
With this shaggy-dog tale of four petty Glaswegian criminals and their improbably successful scheme to steal the world’s most valuable whiskey, Loach turns navet into a sort of moral philosophy.
November 4, 2013
Max Nelson
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The result is a sometimes gritty, occasionally charming Highland hybrid, but the final balance feels slightly off-kilter.
May 17, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Posner
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Loach takes us through the mysteries of whisky making, exploring the subtle tastes and scents in ways that will have audiences wishing they had a dram at hand. But a glass also serves more symbolic purposes …
May 16, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Linda Barnard
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
The best movie so far this year.
September 18, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
The Angels’ Share takes Loach’s trademark edge and softens it a wee bit .
September 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
THE ANGELS’ SHARE is rather like a good single malt with a huge block of ice in it. Even if this perhaps ruins it for the more picky connoisseur, you can’t deny it goes down easily. Slàinte.
February 13, 2020
Jim Ross
TAKE ONE Magazine
It’s a feel-good comedy with a UK edge.
November 19, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
David Harris
Spectrum Culture
The morality may be murky, the language somewhat shocking, but Loach’s underdogs win us over nonetheless, and just might win over new whisky lovers, to boot.
April 17, 2019 | Rating: 7/10
Julie Crawford
North Shore News (Vancouver, B.C.)
The Angels’ Share really conjures the spirit of the Ealing Comedies with its playfulness of spirit and generosity toward its characters.
February 3, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro…
Plot
This bitter sweet comedy follows protagonist Robbie as he sneaks into the maternity hospital to visit his young girlfriend Leonie and hold his newborn son Luke for the first time. Overwhelmed by the moment, he swears that Luke will not have the same tragic life he has had. Escaping a prison sentence by the skin of his teeth, he’s given one last chance……While serving a community service order, he meets Rhino, Albert and Mo who, like him, find it impossible to find work because of their criminal records. Little did Robbie imagine how turning to drink might change their lives – not cheap fortified wine, but the best malt whiskies in the world. Will it be ‘slopping out’ for the next twenty years, or a new future with ‘Uisge Beatha’ the ‘Water of Life?’ Only the angels know……..
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features novice actor Paul Brannigan in the lead role of Robbie.
Ken-Loach.jpg
