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.
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