Cinema Review - Sunshine On Leith

Release:
04th October 2013
Cert:
PG
Director:
Dexter Fletcher
Stars:
Jane Horrocks, Peter Mullan , George McKay, Kevin Guthrie, Antonia Thomas, Freya Mavor,Paul Brannigan
Following the well-received Wild Bill, Dexter Fletcher is back behind the camera for Sunshine On Leith - a Scottish musical adaptation of Stephen Greenhorn's stage musical featuring the hits of The Proclaimers. Whilst there is some fun to be had the film's gooey sentimentality and Scottish soap-opera style narrative can be somewhat off-putting.

Sunshine On Leith centres around Davy (George McKay) and Ally (Kevin Guthrie), two soldiers returning from Afghanistan who are forced to readapt to civilian life. Here they discover new romances and old friends - Davy in particular learns of some new family secrets concerning his dad, Rab (Peter Mullan).

Fletcher directs this tale with bucket loads of energy and vibrancy, truly showcasing the beauty of Scotland's capital city, which doesn't get the big screen treatment nearly often enough. The majority of the musical sequences are brimming with fun - with standouts including Jason Fleyming's chirpy rendition of Should Have Been Loved and the riotously fun Over and Done With. However, the lack of this reviewer's personal favourite Proclaimer's hit, Lady Luck, is upsetting.

However, when we take a step back from the musical sequences Sunshine On Leith can feel a bit like a below-par soap opera - a big screen River City perhaps? Plot developments feel shoehorned in so as songs fit with slightly more ease with a narrative containing a variety of uninspired emotional subplots - most of which feel superficial and over-bearing. Every single character has some form of relationship problem, not to mention that there are heart-attacks, a multitude of break-ups, and amputee soldiers - most of which feel like an easy method of tugging at the old heartstrings.

However, these subplots, in particular Rab and wife Jean's (Jane Horrocks) marriage problems do result in some stand-out performances. Horrocks is downright loveable - showcasing a natural warmth and charisma - as well as a standout acting talent. Peter Mullan also delivers what feels like a raw and stripped back performance as Rab - a man whose current happiness is challenged by a past decision.

Sunshine On Leith delivers a lot of light-hearted fun in its chirpy musical moments. Fletcher directs this tale with a playful energy and showcases a real beauty in Edinburgh. However, the film's tendency to focus on cheap-melodrama results in a watch that feels like the unwanted lovechild of River City and Glee.

★★★☆☆

Andrew McArthur

Watch The Joy of Six - Director Google Hangout

For anybody who missed the The Joy of Six Director Google Hangout on Monday 29th April, New British Cinema Quarterly (NBCQ) in association with Shooting People, are pleased to present an edited package of the highly entertaining and informative discussion.

Talking about their experiences to host Ben Blaine are Directors Romola Garai, Douglas Hart, Dan Sully and Chris Foggin, with special guest David Jenkins from Little White Lies.

The Joy of Six Synopsis

NBCQ presents a perfect package of award-winning short films, showcasing the best of British screen and directing talent. This may be the only time you get to encounter Dame Judi Dench on Facebook, as a woman attempting to woo her local choirmaster through social media, see Peter Mullan give a screen masterclass on how to smoke a cigarette (without the ash falling), or watch the rather handsome Luke Treadaway, run...a lot.

The Joy Of Six includes the directorial debut of Romola Garai and the first short from Dan Sully while Matthew Holness brings the pulp fiction of Terry Finch to the big screen. The Joy Of Six full programme: Long Distance Information (Douglas Hart)Man in Fear (Will Jewell), A Gun for George (Matthew Holness), Scrubber (Romola Garai), The Ellington Kid (Dan Sully) and Friend Request Pending (Chris Foggin)

Watch the Q&A Here....

Joy Of Six Directors Q&A from Cinehouse_UK on Vimeo.

Buy: The Joy of Six On DVD

Want to watch the trailer again, here it is too...

GFF 2013 - Welcome to the Punch Review

When he introduced his second feature film, writer/director Eran Creevey commented that Welcome to the Punch was an old fashioned kind of Friday night fun. Though Creevey’s film is indeed visually impressive and slick as Hell, it’s not the action-romp the review snips keep heralding.

                Starting off with a well-executed Dark Knight/Heat heist-turned-chase, the film promises a killer rollercoaster for the audience, a gang of suited criminals carry their payload out of an uber-modern office type space, jump on the back of some motorbikes and speed off into the night with James McAvoy’s hot-headed detective in pursuit. It’s a stellar opening, capturing the potential for London as a metropolis just as suited to cinema as San Fran or Chicago, but without forgetting that it’s not. Unfortunately the rest of the film seems to dwindle itself away on a murky plot, too focused on the politics behind the whole affair rather than truly letting the flow lose itself in spontaneity.

 Though you’ll feel short-changed on action sequences, Creevey is obviously comfortable with them.  There’s a great pace to his action, a streamlined but dangerous quality to the shootouts, which actually makes them believable. It’s incredible how often violence in films can seem so slight (The Dark Knight Rises?)  so it’s a pleasure to watch some well-choreographed ferocity. Saying that, there is one –albeit hilarious- iffy scene of style-over-substance; a shoot-out at one of the robbers granny’s place. You might not see anything as funny as Peter Mullan holding a gun to an old woman’s head this year, but Creevey should have drew the line at slow-mo.

Strong is on top form, every bit the professional criminal and Peter Mullan steals scenes with much needed humour. You can’t help but think this is Strong and Mullan’s show, but Mullan doesn’t get the screen time he deserves. Same could be said for David Morrissey who appears as police chief, a thin character for such a great actor, though he gets to prove his worth by the end. Not to say there’s any issues with McAvoy, but a bizarre move to glorify every step he takes and every word he says ends up making many of his scenes seem melodramatic. That’s not particularly attractive for an action movie.

What’s infuriating about the film is that it regains that action perfection, presented in the opening, for its grand finale, leaving us all thinking why there was so much grey space of political confusion, plotting, and McAvoy sucking gunk out of his manky knee.   Better balance would have left the overall feel of the film in healthier stead. Still, the cinematography is stunning throughout and technically well-conceived (if a little too…blue), and there’s plenty of merit to Creevey’s second feature.

 Although there’s plenty of issues in pace and plot, Welcome to the Punch has the right idea. Good action, great cast, but falls short on being that all-out Friday night fun you might be looking for.

Scott Clark

★★★☆☆

Rating:15
Release Date: 15th March 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Eran Creevy
Cast:James McAvoy, David Morrissey, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseborough

The American Trailer For Peter Mullan’s NEDS (“Non-Educated Delinquents”)

NEDS – Petter Mullan & Conor McCarron Video Interview