I, Daniel Blake 2016

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Widower Daniel Blake (Dave Johns), a 59-year-old Geordie, finds himself at the mercy of a system that seems more concerned with efficiency than humanity. His world is turned upside down after a heart attack at work as a carpenter, and his cardiologist’s warning to take it easy is ignored by those who seem more interested in numbers than people.

Despite being deemed unfit for work by his doctor, Daniel is subjected to a callous work capability assessment that prioritizes paperwork over genuine understanding. The outcome? He’s denied employment and support allowance, a decision that ignores the very real limitations imposed by his physical condition.

The bureaucratic labyrinth is further complicated by the outsourcing of Employment and Support Services to a private agency, which has replaced compassion with cold calculation. Phone calls to their service center are met with an endless waiting game (up to 1 hour 48 minutes in some cases), accompanied by a hefty price tag. Daniel’s frustration grows as he realizes his doctor was never consulted about the decision, a fact that only adds to his sense of powerlessness.

In a desperate bid to appeal this decision, Daniel must navigate a digital world he barely knows, forced to complete a set of forms online with no grasp of its intricacies. It’s a Sisyphean task made all the more daunting by the lack of human interaction.

Meanwhile, Daniel finds solace in his unlikely friendship with single mother Katie (Hayley Squires), who has been sanctioned for daring to show up late to a job Centre appointment. Her family, fresh from the streets of London’s homelessness crisis, is struggling to find affordable accommodation in Newcastle. Daniel’s kindness knows no bounds as he lends a helping hand, fixing broken objects, teaching them how to warm their rooms without electricity, and crafting wooden toys for their children.

Next door, China (Kema Sikazwe), an African American man, has found a way to game the system by using Daniel’s address to receive illegal shipments of high-end shoes from a factory in China. These counterfeit kicks are then sold at half price on the streets, a testament to the grey market thriving in the shadows.

As Daniel becomes entangled in the welfare bureaucracy, he finds himself trapped in a cycle of rejection and appeal, with no clear end in sight. Despite his doctor’s warnings not to work, Daniel continues to hand out CVs, only to be met with rejection after rejection. His appeal hangs in limbo, stuck in a never-ending loop that offers no respite from the grinding uncertainty he faces.

As Daniel’s situation becomes increasingly precarious, the agency imposes a 4-week sanction on Job Seeker’s Allowance, with the threat of further penalties looming large. Undeterred, Daniel chooses not to continue seeking assistance, despite the impassioned pleas of Ann (Kate Rutter), a sympathetic agency worker who warns him that he risks losing everything.

Meanwhile, Katie’s struggles to make ends meet are exacerbated by hunger and desperation, leading her to break down at a food bank. Her subsequent decision to take up an offer from a security guard to work as an escort is motivated by the imperative to feed her children. Daniel surprises her at the brothel, imploring her to abandon this path and instead find another way to sustain herself.

As Daniel navigates his own job search, he faces numerous obstacles, including a doctor’s orders restricting his ability to work due to health concerns. When his work coach presses him to intensify his efforts or face further sanctions, Daniel takes matters into his own hands by spray-painting a bold declaration on the building: “I, Daniel Blake, demand my appeal date before I starve.” This act of defiance earns the admiration of passersby, including fellow benefits claimants, but also attracts the attention of authorities. After selling off most of his belongings and retreating into isolation, Daniel is eventually pulled out of his depression by Daisy (Briana Shann), Katie’s daughter, who brings him a homemade meal as a token of appreciation for his kindness.

On the day of Daniel’s appeal hearing, Katie accompanies him to court, where they receive reassurance from a welfare adviser that their case appears strong. However, when Daniel catches sight of the judge and doctor who will be deciding his fate, he becomes overcome with anxiety and flees to the lavatory, where he suffers a fatal heart attack.

In the aftermath of Daniel’s passing, Katie delivers a poignant eulogy at his public health funeral, including a speech that was meant to be delivered during his appeal. This powerful oration eloquently conveys Daniel’s sentiments about the welfare system, which he felt had reduced him to nothing more than an animal, rather than treating him as the proud individual who had contributed to society through hard work and dedication.