2012 boasted a collection of British films of real quality. Ken Loach's The Angel's Share was most certainly one of those. Considering Loach has a reputation for bleak, brilliant dramas, some might be surprised to see the light comic touch he's applied to this winning mix of comedy and drama. That said, it still has a fair amount to say.

The Angel's Share initially starts on a sombre note, as it's not long before we meet the main characters in a courtroom. Here, they're being sentenced for a series of offences, and young father Robbie is only saved from prison by the fact that his girlfriend is shortly to give birth.

But from these foundations comes a triumph of a film, as community service brings whiskey into Robbie's life. The Angel's Share also certainly makes a few points as it tells its story, and there's a political subtext here. Yet Loach injects warmth and humour into the film, and his young, inexperienced cast prove really rather special, too. Tonally, The Angel's Share shifts around a little, and it does have a change of direction that's likely to be divisive. Yet it's a smart, enjoyable film.

The disc includes a featurette that digs into the making of the feature, and it also includes some interesting deleted material, too. There's certainly enough there to make the film and Blu-ray both warmly recommended. A drop of whiskey to accompany it wouldn't hurt, either. --Jon Foster