Sorry We Missed You

Sorry We Missed You

Year: 2020

Runtime: 101 min

Language: English

Director: Ken Loach

Echo Score: 75
Drama

A couple, Ricky and Abby, are struggling financially and desperately seeking a way to improve their situation. Ricky sees a chance to become a delivery driver and gain independence, but the pursuit of financial stability leads them down a difficult path. Sacrificing everything for a delivery van, they find themselves trapped in a relentless cycle of long hours, demanding work, and increasing desperation, testing the limits of their endurance and their relationship.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Sorry We Missed You (2020) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Sorry We Missed You (2020), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Ricky Turner, portrayed by Kris Hitchen, and his family have been grappling with the relentless grip of debt ever since the 2008 financial crash shook their lives. With limited education and no formal qualifications, Ricky seizes a glimmer of hope when he secures a position running a franchise as a self-employed delivery driver. However, this opportunity comes under the unyielding oversight of Ross Brewster, who plays Maloney, a strict and demanding employer.

To make ends meet, Ricky persuades his wife, Debbie Honeywood, who plays Abby, to part with their family car—essential for her work as a home care nurse. This decision adds further strain to their already precarious situation. The mounting pressure on Ricky to meet delivery deadlines proves overwhelming; he faces hefty fines for tardiness or any mistakes he makes while on the job. Abby, feeling the repercussions of their choice, struggles with her demanding schedule and feels the emotional toll of missing out on quality time with her patients.

Their son, Seb, is acting out—skipping school and getting into trouble, often resorting to graffiti as a means of rebellion. One night, in a fit of anger after a confrontation with his parents, Seb vandalizes the family portraits. The following morning, when Ricky cannot locate his van keys, he irrationally blames Seb. Despite Seb’s protests of innocence, a heated argument culminates in Ricky hitting him. Later, Liza Jane, Ricky’s younger daughter, tearfully reveals she is the one who hid the keys, believing that Ricky’s job is to blame for their family’s troubles.

As if the stress isn’t enough, while on the job, Ricky faces a horrific turn of events: he gets robbed and brutally assaulted during a delivery. In a poignant moment at the hospital, as he’s treated for his injuries, Maloney calls to inform him that he will incur over £1,000 in fines due to a damaged barcode scanner from the attack. Meanwhile, Seb begins to soften and reconnect with his family. However, as Ricky, visibly battered and distressed, prepares to leave for work once more, his family—filled with concern—pleads with him to stay home, foreshadowing the emotional turmoil to come.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 16:18

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Bleak Workplace Dramas like Sorry We Missed You

Stories where the fight for a decent life is crushed by systemic economic forces.If the harsh realism of 'Sorry We Missed You' resonated with you, explore more movies that expose the brutal realities of the gig economy and working-class survival. These similar stories share a bleak tone, high emotional weight, and a focus on systemic failure that tests the limits of human endurance.

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Stories in this thread typically follow individuals or families pushed to their absolute limits by an unforgiving economic system. The narrative is often a downward spiral, where initial hope or a chance for stability is systematically eroded by long hours, exploitation, and financial desperation, leading to personal and familial collapse.

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These films are grouped by their shared commitment to portraying the grim realities of contemporary work life. They connect through a consistently bleak tone, high emotional intensity, and a focus on themes of financial precarity and systemic injustice that leave little room for optimism.

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Intense dramas where external stress fractures family bonds to the breaking point.For viewers who felt the emotional impact of the family's struggle in 'Sorry We Missed You', this thread collects movies with similar heavy themes of familial strain. These films explore how desperation and systemic pressure can unravel relationships, featuring high tension, bleak outcomes, and profound emotional weight.

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The narrative pattern involves a family facing an overwhelming external crisis—often financial or societal—that acts as a pressure cooker for their relationships. The story methodically charts the rising tension within the home, showcasing how shared hardship can lead to conflict, violence, and the tragic erosion of the family foundation.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their central focus on the theme of family strain under duress. They share a high-intensity, bleak atmosphere where the primary conflict is not just surviving the outside world, but preventing the internal world of the family from shattering completely.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Sorry We Missed You

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