The Angels' Share
This bitter sweet comedy follows protagonist Robbie as he sneaks into the maternity hospital to visit his young girlfriend Leonie and hold his newborn son Luke for the first time. Overwhelmed by the moment, he swears that Luke will not have the same tragic life he has had. Escaping a prison sentence by the skin of his teeth, he's given one last chance......While serving a community service order, he meets Rhino, Albert and Mo who, like him, find it impossible to find work because of their criminal records. Little did Robbie imagine how turning to drink might change their lives - not cheap fortified wine, but the best malt whiskies in the world. Will it be 'slopping out' for the next twenty years, or a new future with 'Uisge Beatha' the 'Water of Life?' Only the angels know........
The film earned $7.0M at the global box office.
7 wins & 10 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Angels' Share (2012) demonstrates meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of Ken Loach's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.3, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Robbie
Harry
Albert
Mo
Rhino
Leonie
Main Cast & Characters
Robbie
Played by Paul Brannigan
A young Glaswegian father with a violent past who discovers a talent for whisky tasting and sees it as his chance at redemption.
Harry
Played by John Henshaw
A community service supervisor who mentors troubled youths and introduces Robbie to the world of fine whisky.
Albert
Played by Gary Maitland
One of Robbie's community service friends, a gentle soul with a troubled past who becomes part of the whisky heist crew.
Mo
Played by Jasmin Riggins
A young woman in community service with Robbie who joins the whisky scheme and shows fierce loyalty to her friends.
Rhino
Played by William Ruane
The comic relief of the group, a lovable but dim-witted member of the community service crew who participates in the heist.
Leonie
Played by Siobhan Reilly
Robbie's girlfriend and mother of his child, who stands by him despite his violent history and uncertain future.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Robbie stands in court facing sentencing for brutal assault, his violent reputation and criminal past on full display. This establishes his world of violence and consequence before any transformation begins.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Robbie's son is born. The birth forces him to confront what kind of father and man he wants to be, creating an urgent need for change and providing emotional stakes for his transformation.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Robbie discovers he has a natural talent for identifying whisky characteristics during a tasting. He actively chooses to pursue this gift, entering the new world of whisky expertise and seeing a possible path beyond violence., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat The group discovers an extremely rare cask of whisky worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. This false victory seems like the answer to all of Robbie's problems, but it tempts him back toward criminality., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Robbie faces violent confrontation from his past, a brutal reminder that his old life won't let him go easily. The dream of legitimate transformation seems to die, leaving only the criminal path., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Robbie decides to execute the heist but with a plan to use the knowledge Harry taught him. He synthesizes his street skills with his newfound whisky expertise, committing to one last crime to fund a legitimate future., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Angels' Share's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping The Angels' Share against these established plot points, we can identify how Ken Loach utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Angels' Share within the comedy genre.
Ken Loach's Structural Approach
Among the 7 Ken Loach films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Angels' Share takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Ken Loach filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Ken Loach analyses, see Looking for Eric, Jimmy's Hall and I, Daniel Blake.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Robbie stands in court facing sentencing for brutal assault, his violent reputation and criminal past on full display. This establishes his world of violence and consequence before any transformation begins.
Theme
Harry, the community service supervisor, tells Robbie and the group that everyone deserves a second chance and that people can change if given the opportunity. This states the film's central question about redemption.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Robbie's world: his pregnant girlfriend Leonie, threats from the victim's family, his fellow community service workers (Albert, Mo, Rhino), and the harsh reality of life in Glasgow with limited prospects for someone with his record.
Disruption
Robbie's son is born. The birth forces him to confront what kind of father and man he wants to be, creating an urgent need for change and providing emotional stakes for his transformation.
Resistance
Harry takes the community service group on their first distillery tour, introducing them to the world of whisky. Robbie debates whether he can actually change and struggles with threats from his past while trying to build a future.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Robbie discovers he has a natural talent for identifying whisky characteristics during a tasting. He actively chooses to pursue this gift, entering the new world of whisky expertise and seeing a possible path beyond violence.
Mirror World
Harry becomes a true mentor to Robbie, taking him to exclusive tastings and treating him with respect. This relationship embodies the theme of second chances and shows Robbie the man he could become.
Premise
The fun and games of whisky education: distillery tours, learning the craft, bonding with the group, and exploring Scotland's whisky heritage. Robbie immerses himself in this new world of sophistication and hidden value.
Midpoint
The group discovers an extremely rare cask of whisky worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. This false victory seems like the answer to all of Robbie's problems, but it tempts him back toward criminality.
Opposition
Planning the heist becomes complicated. Robbie's criminal past closes in as threats intensify. The moral weight of betraying Harry's trust grows heavier, and the technical challenges of stealing the whisky mount.
Collapse
Robbie faces violent confrontation from his past, a brutal reminder that his old life won't let him go easily. The dream of legitimate transformation seems to die, leaving only the criminal path.
Crisis
Robbie grapples with the moral cost of the theft versus his desperate need to provide for his son and escape his violent past. The darkness of betraying the one man who believed in him weighs on his soul.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Robbie decides to execute the heist but with a plan to use the knowledge Harry taught him. He synthesizes his street skills with his newfound whisky expertise, committing to one last crime to fund a legitimate future.
Synthesis
The heist execution: the group uses disguises, timing, and Robbie's palate to pull off the theft. The finale balances tension with dark humor as they navigate the moral complexity of their Robin Hood-style crime.
Transformation
Robbie holds his son, now with the means to start fresh somewhere new. The image mirrors the opening but shows transformation: violence replaced by hope, trapped circumstances replaced by possibility, isolation replaced by family.