‘Anyone who stands in the way of change is out...’
Ken Loach has been a voice for the disaffected working classes for over fifty years now. In that time he has covered issues as diverse as the Troubles, the failing welfare system and… Eric Cantona. Throughout all his films, Loach returns again and again to men working difficult jobs and being squeezed on all sides for doing so. The Navigators sees Loach turn his attention to South Yorkshire and disgruntled railway workers…
When a group of railway workers led by John (Dean Andrews), Jim (Steve Huison) and Paul (Joe Duttine) find their British Rail jobs under threat after a buyout from a private company, the lads must gang together in order to keep their heads above water.
As with many Loach films from this era (Sweet Sixteen, My Name is Joe) The Navigators is light on plot but heavy on authenticity and adversity. As a native of South Yorkshire, Loach perfectly captures the relationship shared by the working men in a local community, and it is genuinely lovely to hear the lyrical South Yorkshire accent evoked so magnificently by the mostly local cast. As ever, casting is one of Loach’s finest skills and everyone fits wonderfully here, particularly Huison who has previous in this area having already played an out of work Yorkshireman in The Full Monty.
The Navigators won’t win over many new fans to Loach’s distinct brand of filmmaking, but for long time supporters of his work there is a lot here to enjoy. And someone mentions Donny in the dialogue at one point, so there’s that.