Veteran British filmmaker Ken Loach¡¯s latest work, ¡°Sorry We Missed You,¡± which opened in Japan , is about the gig economy, the new employment environment surrounding companies like the ride-sharing service Uber that don¡¯t so much hire people as give them access to users.
Loach¡¯s film focuses on an English couple and their two children. The father becomes a franchisee for a delivery company that, despite its insistence he is an independent agent, penalizes him for late deliveries and absences. The mother is a freelance caregiver, who works ungodly hours more out of conscience than out of any monetary gain.
¡°Sorry We Missed You¡± is a scathing indictment of late stage capitalism, especially as it impacts a country such as the United Kingdom, where once sturdy social structures are collapsing. In Loach¡¯s estimation, the gig economy provides the perfect theme for what is essentially a libertarian horror movie.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.