Thatcherism and the Irish troubles provide the backdrop for this study of Mick, a well-meaning youth in Sheffield, who has, unlike Dickens' Pip, no expectations. Mick lives with his parents, works on his motorbike, looks for work, and every two weeks gets his check from the dole. There are no jobs. His best mate Alan joins the army to fix tanks and is sent to Belfast to quell Catholics. At a disco, Mick meets Karen, who works at a shoe shop and lives with her recently-separated mom. Karen misses her dad. She offers Mick emotional stability and a route to adulthood; Alan pitches the army. Does Mick have a future?
You can now watch Looks and Smiles online on the following streaming providers in the United States.
| Directing | Ken Loach | Director |
| Writing | Barry Hines | Writer |
| Production | Irving Teitelbaum | Producer |
| Production | Raymond Day | Associate Producer |
| Sound | Marc Wilkinson | Original Music Composer |
| Camera | Chris Menges | Director of Photography |
| Editing | Steve Singleton | Editor |
| Art | Martin Johnson | Art Direction |
| Costume & Make-Up | Gwenda Evans | Costume Design |
| Directing | Monica Hyde | Assistant Director |
| Directing | Paul Morrison | Assistant Director |
| Production | Patrick Cassavetti | Production Manager |
| Sound | Andrew Boulton | Sound |
