Ken Loach made his directorial debut in an episode of the TV series ‘Teletale’ in 1964. The following year, he joined the British anthology television series, ‘The Wednesday Play,’ as director. He directed 10 episodes and remained a part of the series until 1969. In 1967, he directed the British kitchen-sink drama film ‘Poor Cow.’ Despite receiving a lukewarm response from critics, the film did well at the box office. He next directed the 1969 drama film ‘Kes.’ The film opened to wide critical acclaim with critics praising the direction of Loach. While ‘Kes’ earned profits in Britain, it couldn't do well in the United States.Â
He went on to direct films like ‘Family Life’ (1971), ‘Black Jack’ (1979), ‘Looks and Smiles’ (1981), ‘Fatherland’ (1986), and ‘Hidden Agenda’ (1990). In 1991, he was seen directing the British film ‘Riff-Raff.’ The film was a major critical success and acquired an approval rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. He next directed the 1993 film ‘Raining Stones,’ which was also a massive critical hit. Loach went on direct films such as ‘Ladybird, Ladybird’ (1994), ‘Land and Freedom’ (1995), ‘Carla's Song’ (1996), ‘My Name Is Joe’ (1998), ‘Bread and Roses’ (2000), ‘The Navigators’ (2001), ‘Sweet Sixteen’ (2002), and Ae Fond Kiss... (2004).
In 2006, Loach directed the war drama film ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley.’ The film earned universal acclaim upon release and was a major commercial success, grossing over $25.7 million against a budget of $8.3 million. ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ is often regarded as one of the best films of Loach. The following year, he directed another drama film, ‘It's a Free World…’ The film earned considerable praise from the critics. In 2009, he directed the British-French film ‘Looking for Eric.’ The film opened to positive reviews and was a moderate box office success. Loach next directed ‘Route Irish’ (2010), The Angels' Share (2012), Jimmy's Hall (2014), and ‘I, Daniel Blake’ (2016).
In 2019, he directed the drama film ‘Sorry We Missed You.’ The film opened to positive reception with critics complimenting the style and direction of Loach.
