Billy lavished care and nurturing on Kes, in contrast to the indifference shown to him at home and at school. His relationship with the bird became the focus of his world - an escape from his otherwise harsh life - until it was taken from him by his older brother, Jud, who killed the bird for revenge against Billy for not placing his winning bet on the horses.
Ken Loach's portrayal of the Barry Hines book is a bleak reminder of the disaffection that happens to a young person when the world at large dismisses him as a no-hoper, an irritation and having nothing to offer.
A shining light for the teenager comes in the shape of a sympathetic teacher, who sees more to him than others do. When he discovers how much effort Billy has put into learning how to care for the bird, the teacher starts to treat him with the respect he deserves for his knowledge and talent.
Thirty years on, the film is still relevant to young people in 2003 and how society treats them. There are still too many Billy Caspers, whose lives are blighted by indifference. Then, the only support was the callous careers adviser at school. But our current obsession with support systems for young people is not reaching out to modern-day Billy Caspers either.
At least Billy had Kes ...
