This film is a series of interconnected situations regarding relationships, all based in the same family. Davy and Ally come back from combat, to seemingly the delight of everyone. Ally looks to rekindle his relationship with Liz, who is Davy's sister. Davy meets Liz's best friend Yvonne and they begin a relationship. Liz and Davy's parents Rab and Jean appear very happy about this. There, however, are secrets and actions that threaten to undermine all of the relationships. When the film is set to songs by the Scottish group The Proclaimers (American audiences will know them from their big hit 500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be),sung by the characters and others joining in, the movie is wonderful, it is vibrant and fun, along with sad and even heartbreaking. When the stories are told without music the movie falters, since it becomes almost like a soap opera. However, look past those moments and bask in the great city of Edinburgh and sing along if you can. Its those moments that make this film really worthwhile.
Add a Review
-
crossbow010620 May 2014
-
roger-pettit12 October 2013Sunshine on Leith is an enjoyable, exuberant film musical that is based on the songs of The Proclaimers. It tells the story of two young Scottish soldiers who return to their families in Edinburgh after serving in Afghanistan. What awaits each of them is an unsettled future during which they are forced to confront a number of issues that make it difficult to rehabilitate themselves successfully into civilian life: the need to secure employment (they find temporary work in a call centre); feelings of guilt at returning home in good physical shape when a friend of theirs who served with them sustained severe injuries and is having to contend with the loss of both legs; trying to rekindle their neglected love lives; having to cope with the revelation of family secrets that in the case of one of the ex-soldiers puts pressure on his parents' marriage; and the problems of simply being welcomed and accepted by friends and family after a long absence. None of these issues is dealt with in anything other than a superficial and sentimental manner. But that does not really matter all that much.
The cast, which includes Jane Horrocks and Peter Mullan, is very good. The cinematography is first rate (Edinburgh looks stunning), as are the staging of the set-piece routines and the choreography. And we even get a brief, Hitchcock-like cameo appearance by The Proclaimers themselves, who are seen near the start of the film emerging from an Edinburgh pub. The music is uneven. Two of the most notable Proclaimers numbers - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" and "Letter from America" - are delivered in a much more muted and less punchy style than their original versions, which somehow seems unsatisfactory. From my personal perspective, there is also one underlying problem with Sunshine on Leith, that is incapable of resolution. I do not think that film is the right medium for musicals. I often enjoy musical shows that are performed in the theatre. But I simply cannot come to terms with them in the cinema. The transition from spoken dialogue to singing seems to me to be unnatural and mildly clumsy on celluloid in a way that does not appear to be the case on stage. (I feel the same about opera!) That problem aside, Sunshine on Leith is an engaging film, albeit one that is unlikely to live long in the memory. 6/10. -
hmgrieve29 September 2013Saw this at a preview. The first couple of scenes were great, even though only my husband and I apparently saw the Proclaimers coming out of the pub when the lads are dancing their way back home ( we were the only ones who laughed, so the others obviously didn't realise that the lads' physique has changed since their skinny years!)
A warning to anyone who cried through "Slipping through my Fingers" in Mamma Mia. "Sunshine on Leith" - get the tissues handy! I was desperately trying not to sob out loud....
All in all, it was very enjoyable, though I wish Jason Flemyng's role had been bigger. Can't wait to see him on "Strictly"! Sure it sounded like he'd split his trousers!
There were a few wobbly voices, especially Peter Mullan's, but all in all, the cast acquitted themselves perfectly adequately. Jane Horrocks was superb, as always, and my husband ( a Scot) commended her on her accent.
One last thing. Why wasn't I invited to the flash mob?! Dexter, next time, send me an e-mail.... -
TheSquiss29 September 2013I'm not a fan of musicals. I'm not quite sure why I should enjoy watching people sing their conversations instead of having a straightforward, impassioned talk. Sunshine on Leith isn't that kind of musical.
Sunshine on Leith is cheesy, predictable and I had a fab time watching it! Adapted for the big screen, from his own stage play, by Stephen Greenhorn, Sunshine on Leith will be known by many as the Scottish comedy rammed to the gills with The Proclaimers' songs. The twins even enjoy a brief stroll in front of the camera and I found myself having a private game of Which Proclaimers' song comes next? in the cinema.
Three soldiers return home to Scotland after a tour of duty and try to adapt to life on civvy street. While Davy (George Mackay) goes home to mum, Jean (Jane Horricks), dad, Rab (Peter Mullan), and sister, Liz (Freya Mavor), his best friend Ally (Kevin Guthrie), who is dating Liz, stays with his sister's family. On a celebratory night out, Davy hooks up with his sister's friend, Yvonne (Antonia Thomas) and over the next few months we watch as three relationships (Jean & Rab, Ally & Liz and Davy & Yvonne) evolve and deal with the challenges life throws at them.
I'll be honest (as always), Sunshine on Leith is not a great film. There are occasional moments of ropey acting, it is difficult not to grimace at some of the circumstances, it all flows and finishes entirely too easily, there are far too many avenues hinted at but never explored, I'm pretty sure it's not a fair representation of Scotland and it's far from being an accurate portrayal of squaddies returning from warzones.
In terms of feel good films, it's out of step with the likes of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and lacks the gritty charm of Ken Loach's little seen but superb The Angels' Share. There is an entire subplot starring the latter's Paul Brannigan as Ronnie, the third of the trio of soldiers, that is hinted at but not fully explored, as if time was of the essence and director Dexter Fletcher felt the need to excise him for pace, and it leaves us wondering why he was left in the film at all.
But, gripes aside, this is an entertaining, inoffensive, thoroughly enjoyable experience that doesn't need detailed analysis. Take it as it is, lap it up, feel good about yourself and then move on.
Peter Mullan and Jane Horrocks, though not a couple one would automatically think to put together, play perfectly against each other as the couple nearing their silver wedding anniversary. Knowing the musical talent that brought Horrocks to the fore, it is an almost agonizing wait for her to be given her chance to sing but you'll be satisfied to know she has a few moments in the limelight. Though Mullan may not be a natural singer, he handles his numbers very well and there is no danger of him 'doing' a Peirce Brosnan (in Mamma Mia!) or Russell Crowe (in Les Misérables).
The central trio of MacKay, Guthrie and Mavor gel well, hold the attention, engage us and bounce well off each other, but the jaw-on-the-floor performer here is Antonia Thomas. She has been sorely missing from my life since she moved on from the dark, twisted and utterly fantastic Misfits and it's good to see her back on screen after such an absence. She performs well and is the equal of her peers here but when she sings Wow!
There are more than sufficient high points in Sunshine on Leith to forgive all the missed opportunities and false starts. Given the choice, I would embrace another twenty doses of Sunshine on Leith than a single, torturous repeat experience of Les Misérables.
It was an eight star film when I emerged that settled comfortably into a six star once the euphoria had subsided. Sweet, fun, very enjoyable indeed, Sunshine on Leith is sure to be an absolutely huge hit with the 'only go to the cinema once a year' brigade. When the nights grow dark and cold this is a very good reason to venture out and warm your soul. -
asgaurd645 April 2014Im a guy of the 80,s and although i thought the proclaimers were good, i never really became a fan. Don't get me wrong i enjoyed there music and style , but it never generated a passion in me. But one dark lonely night while it was raining outside and the trees were rattling on the windows, i thought i would watch Sunshine on Leith ( I may have had a lager or two) , And all i can say is WOW , it was awesome, it was on par with the commitments, which is no small achievement, the song that it derived its title from "Sunshine on leith" sung by "Jane Horrocks" was amazing , I loved it. Thank you for an amazing film and a wonderful soundtrack. Thank you aqain for a wonderful Film
-
Lejink13 October 2018Although I'm a Scot, I'm not a particular fan of the Proclaimers on whose songs this film musical is based. That said it's impossible to be Scottish and unaware of their music - there was even recent talk of their biggest hit "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" being the new national anthem. I'd describe their music as simple, tuneful and colloquial, unashamed of either the Scottish vernacular or Scottish accent in putting across a song.
This filmed version of the surprise hit stage musical makes good use of the Edinburgh and Leith locations and also employs a largely local cast to help give the story the required local flavour. The biggest names in the cast are Peter Mullen and Jane Horrocks as the silver anniversary-celebrating parents with the latter, who we remember from "Little Voice" not unsurprisingly carrying off a tune better. The rest of the young cast however also display good singing ability and inject enthusiasm and energy into their parts.
The story is relatively straightforward, with a Scottish "On The Town" tilt to it as two young Scottish soldiers return from a tour of Afghanistan to pick up the pieces of their lives in their home town, with romance unsurprisingly in the air as you'd expect in an upbeat singalong musical like this, with an extra twist as one of their parents' apparently rock solid marriage hits a crisis just as they run up to a major anniversary.
All three central relationships in the film work themselves out as best they can, helped along every ten minutes or so by another Reid Brothers song (watch out for their own brief cameo early in the film) and they even manage to work their best song, in my opinion "Letter From America" a song about the Highland Clearances into the narrative.
All in all, I found the movie a pleasant surprise, even the songs I didn't know made a good impression plus I enjoyed the familiar (to me) locations of Auld Reekie.
I perhaps wouldn't walk 500 miles to see it but it filled an enjoyable enough 100 minutes of my Friday night I will say. -
davidplumridge25 September 2013Went to an advanced screening of this film with a Q an A with Dexter Fletcher at the end.
Well what a great film, the musical scenes were really well done, and it just felt that the cast were really enjoying themselves. Good all round performances from everyone, nobody stole the show, just everybody contributed their own accomplished style. My personal opinion is that its a really hard job to produce a musical, as it can so easily look amateurish, Mama Mia succeeded, and so does Sunshine on Leith. The locations were superb, especially the closing scene where it appeared as though all of the population of Edinburgh was present and joining in.
The Q and A was very informative, and I will leave you to spot the walk on appearances of Dexter and the Proclaimers.
A great night out,, well done everyone who had a hand in this production. -
neil-47618 October 2013A pair of squaddies come home to Edinburgh after a traumatic tour of duty in the middle east to a selection of real-life issues - girlfriend problems, parental difficulties and the like.
You may recall how the bright idea of using pre-existing songs by Abba to punctuate a daft but sunny story resulted in a hit stage show and a movie which cleaned up, big time, at the British box office. Well, clearly inspired by that success, someone has had the bright idea of structuring another story - this time set in Scotland, and to the soundtrack of songs by Scottish brothers The Proclaimers.
I don't think it is going to duplicate Mamma Mia!'s success - the granite of Edinburgh doesn't have the joyful lightness of the Greek islands, the issues in the storyline are darker than Sophie's daft quest for her Dad, and the Proclaimers' songs are nowhere near as well known as Abba's. Plus the Scots accents aren't going to travel as well as Meryl Streep and her cronies.
But it's not a bad film. The songs are well-chosen, melodic and lyrically apposite, the cast all work hard, there is some emotion at stake, and some joyfulness as payoff notwithstanding that it's all a bit soapy and doesn't actually go anywhere very much. I quite enjoyed it. -
gacogan4 July 2014I should hate this. I thought I would. Take a band whose music is real. A band who don't do poxy love songs. Who do great Scottish songs of independence. A band I admit to loving. Now you try to shoehorn their songs into a musical. It is going to suck. Isn't it?
Actually no. No need to critique whats wrong with this movie. Everything is. It sucks. Its terrible.
I loved every minute. Its not Momma Mia (thank God) Its not Easy Rider. But it is a really enjoyable movie. Loads of fun. Bright, lively and well worth a watch.
This is the perfect date movie. If you, like me, don't like chick flicks. If its too early to watch "The unbearable lightness of being". Then this is a great option. It's just good fun. -
lloyd15015 March 2014I was hoping to watch this at the cinema as I am a big Proclaimers fan but had to opt for the DVD instead. On a big screen you would benefit greatly from the set pieces and panoramic views of Scotland's capital.
The storyline is engaging if not complex, and actors are all very competent. I especially liked Jane Horrlocks as one of the main female leads. The snap shots of Edinburgh were great - however being a Hearts fan I don't venture into to Leith much.
I recognised most of the songs and was kept amused trying to guess which ones would come up next. I thought the Proclaimers' cameo at the start and the main characters doing a double take this was a nice touch.
My only gripe was that the songs were a little watered down - suppose it is difficult to compare because Craig and Charlie sing with such raw and rousing passion and the characters here have to do duets with male and female leads. Unfortunately some of the songs then sound a little like what you would hear in a supermarket.
Overall great film did not stretch the mind however the actors and songs kept my interest. -
sydneybell13 September 2015First off, I'm not a fan of musicals so my lack of love for this movie can and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I am a big fan of The Proclaimers and having visited Edinburgh twice in the last couple of years, thought I would enjoy the scenery (which I did).
Here's the thing. In my experience of The Proclaimers, they (like the good Celts they are) sing about three things: Love&Sex / God / Politics, This movie only shines the light on one, which is why I think I found a movie inspired and infused with their music, disappointing.
Case in point, the song Cap in Hand does not find it's way into this movie - that's all you really need to know.
Some heartwarming scenes - and Edinburgh is stunning and beautifully shot, but that's about it. -
caiohmesmith15 February 2014If your a drab and miserable hard hearted person this film is NOT for you. Also if you don't like the music of the proclaimers I wouldn't bother.
Im 24 years of age, and watched this on an extremely personal emotional day for me and as much as it added to my tears of sadness and heartbreak at parts , it added to my laughter and joy with real cheese and then elation of following dreams and going after what you believe in, its a real pick and mix film with ultimate highs to lows.
Yes it is quite cheesy but when you have "lets get married" by the proclaimers thrown in you expect nothing less. I think as a fan of the proclaimers they have managed to include the music by the lads in the film without turning it into simply a "musical" they have balanced the music and story to a tee. music nor storyline taking over. very cleverly done.
I actually enjoyed all of the actors, and as much as I found it weird to hear other people sing the proclaimers songs I think they all done extremely well.. and how the screenwriters tied in different scenes to one song was fabulous. The only thing I did find slightly off putting was watching Jane horrocks having seen her in so many adverts dramas & TV programmes with a broad English accent it was odd, BUT in saying that she done a sterling job.
As much as it isn't a blockbuster hit, its a genuine warmth hit to the heart and for that I will watch this film when ever I feel low to re inspire me. It may be not for you? It may be... but if your not sure at least take the chance.. I must admit I slightly underestimated it... so I was not left disappointed.
I rate it a 9 fab music, actors, singers and dancers and I commend the fact yes its cheesy and a roller coaster of emotions but the accents are genuine and NOT over done to the point your cringing while watching river city. -
Prismark1023 April 2015Well Mamma Mia was Abba songs put to music mixed in with a storyline set in a romantic Greek island.
Sunshine on Leith is songs by The Proclaimers with a story involving two squaddies who have served in Afghanistan. One of their mates has been injured in a roadside bombing and they have left the army and returned to their family and an uncertain future or more accurately a job in a call centre.
I thought at first if there would be enough catchy songs here given that like most people in Britain over the age of 40 we would only be familiar with two of the songs by The Proclaimers that were hits back in 1986.
However this low budget musical acquits itself well. It is rather cheesy, many of the songs are good enough which rather suggests that The Proclaimers deserve to be better known for their other songs.
The actors even Peter Mullan put in a lot of gusto in the song and dance numbers, although I think Jane Horrocks looked too young to be his wife.
It is a slight story involving tangled romances and ghosts of the past. I did think the bittersweet romantic story of the two soldiers did not really work for me. I liked the rousing finishing song and dance number and although there are some nice scenes set in Edinburgh, I would had to have seen more of Leith itself. -
iworkallday16 October 2013This film comes across as an idea that was great in the pub, but that just doesn't work.
Sunshine on Leith tries to deal with some pretty heavy issues -- death, traumatised soldiers returning from war, horrific injuries, family separation, illness and the breakdown of relationships -- but insists that the cast do a 'Proclaimers' song and dance number every 5 minutes.
Unfortunately, the songs feel forced and do not fit with the plot, and aren't good enough to carry the movie by themselves. By the time "500 miles" and "Letter from America" arrive, it's way, way too late.
The director appears to have seen Mamma Mia and tried to copy it, but without any understanding of how or why it worked.
As a "Mike Leigh" style film, not a musical, this might have been OK, but as it is it's just horrible...
--
2/10 -- 1 mark for a quite engaging opening scene; nothing else as I found I was actually watching the floor rather than the film towards the end. -
cinematic_aficionado16 October 2013Two best friends return to Scotland from the battlefield, one of whom has no plan whilst the other intends to marry his best pal's sister. Life however, takes unexpected turn and gives them few surprises along the way.
Any story revolving around two best friends who are both tested during the ups and downs has always potential to make a good film, and the cast in this particular tale were delightful exhuming vibrancy and talent.
It is very unfortunate however, that they made a semi-musical out of it and the cheesy love songs that repeatedly interrupted the story did not add to an intended overall feel good vibe, thus reducing it to an OK-ish experience which ought to have been much better. -
magnuslhad27 April 2015Sunshine on Leith attempts to do with the music of The Proclaimers what Magnolia did with Aimee Mann songs, namely fashion a narrative that interweaves the various tales hinted at in the songs lyrics. The story lines themselves are pure family melodrama, and like the renditions of the songs, some work better than others. Peter Mullan brings that gravelly majesty of his to the show, a credible thread of proletariat credentials in a film that largely strips the working-class despair and Scottish nationalist politics from The Proclaimers lyrics (the characters who sing of Linwood and Bathgate no more most likely have never heard of these places ever). His marriage crisis is genuinely fraught, and when his wife discovers his secret, precisely at the worst of times, there is a wordless look that passes between husband and wife that cuts the foundations of 25 years. In a film that is unabashedly going after froth and fun most of the time, this is a small, startling cinematic moment. The film is a love letter to The Proclaimers and to Edinburgh, and as such will satisfy audiences who crave such depictions. It is not normally my cup of tea, but I found myself rooting for George MacKay's Davy to do the right thing, and hoping Jane Horrock's Jean would find a way to forgive. As for the songs, 500 Miles gets a fittingly stagey production, but I can't help but feel the two soldiers, or the father and son, in the stands at Easter Road, belting out Sunshine on Leith with the Hibs support, would have been a powerfully poignant moment. A bit of a missed opportunity there.
-
phoenixnethermoor2 January 2020Sunshine on Leith is a very meh film. It has basically no ending, the songs are awfully sung and out of tune, the characters are god awful at acting (except for George McKay) and every time a song comes on you think: "What are they going to ruin now?" But the storyline is decent. The drama is alright, I mean there could be more but it's basically a Scottish Mamma Mia. In one scene, it is quite obvious that somebody is going to have sex, and a main character has the same bedsheets as me. 7/10.
-
Birminghamukengland8 October 2013I bought the soundtrack first and really enjoyed that so was expecting the movie to be as good and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
OK it's no Hollywood blockbuster, but has such a warmth and innocent charm that can not help but appeal.
Reminded me a little of Gregory's girl and Mamma Mia minus the A listers and sun!
Brilliant performances from everyone. Obviously Jane Horrocks is as excellent as she always is.
Will see this again.
More movies like this please instead of the gratuitous violence/stomach churning rubbish and appalling story lines in films like 'Filth'. -
Nowadays the musicals are just a headache. When I see a movie like this, I feel those are the time long gone, and its a sci-fi world. Day by day dreaming to get the movies like 'Dancer in the Dark' and 'The Phantom of the Opera' is fading away. This film could have made a good impression if it was a regular drama-romance, maybe. Good performances and nice music tracks did not influence to lift the entertainment value, at least not to me.
It was based on the musical stage play of the same name. Did well in the English box office, but not that good in the outside. About two young army men return to the home after the service in Afghanistan and try to blend back in where they have left. Trouble in relationship and family issues, followed by going after the dream job across the sea, all come into play, solving all these puzzle brings the end to the movie.
Despite a result as I expected, still somehow I felt the movie was not bad at all. That is maybe because of the film's setting that takes place in the backdrop of the capital of Scotland and style of cool presentation with a moderate pace. The rest was good show by the all lead casts probably had a lift up a bit. Like I said it was about usual episodes that occur in a group of known to each other, but belong to different families and dreaming different future. So how the differing thoughts in mind repels and unites them all was told reasonably well.
6/10 -
Blue-Grotto3 August 2014"Love, whether newly born, or aroused from a death like slumber, must always create a sunshine," wrote Hawthorne "filling the heart so full of radiance, that it overflows upon the outside world." So it is that the habitually dark skies of Scotland open to the sun. A trio of diverse highlander couples, both experienced and not, struggle to deal with fears and passions stirred up by past loves, the urge to see the world before settling down, war and questions about whether we ever truly know someone. Singing and dancing to the music of the Proclaimers aids in working these questions out. The astonishing and effervescent, even if somewhat alarming, scenes of uptight and introverted Scotlanders warbling and writhing in the uncommon sunlight would move even Angela Merkel to spontaneous joy. Chemistry is lacking in the younger couples, yet despite this the film is touching and radiant. Seen at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
-
jboothmillard17 December 2017I heard about this film mainly because it is set to the songs of Scottish folk-pop duo The Proclaimers, based on the hit stage play, it was rated well by critics, so I hoped for something good, from Scotland BAFTA nominated actor-turned-director Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle). Basically recently discharged British Army servicemen Davy Henshaw (George MacKay) and Ally (Kevin Guthrie) have returned home to their families in Edinburgh after a tour in Afghanistan ("I'm on my Way"). On the of Davy and Ally's first night home, Ally's girlfriend Liz (Scotland BAFTA nominated Freya Mavor), Davy's sister and a nurse, introduces Davy to her English friend and colleague Yvonne (Antonia Thomas), and the girls take part in the Scottish tradition of drunken storytelling ("Over and Done With"). Davy and Yvonne have a blind date and strike up a romantic relationship ("Misty Blue"), while Ally and Liz consider the potential of their future as a married couple ("Make my Heart Fly"). Davy's father Robert "Rab" Henshaw (Scotland BAFTA nominated Peter Mullan) receives a letter from Eilidh (Sara Vickers), a daughter he didn't know he had, they later meet, she is the result of an affair, the mother has just died, and he secretly attends the funeral. Ally tells Davy he intends to propose to Liz during the 25th wedding anniversary party for Davy's parents Rab and Jean (Scotland BAFTA nominated Jane Horrocks), a bartender overhears the conversation and offers Ally advice on how to propose ("Let's Get Married"). At the anniversary party Rab serenades Jean ("Oh Jean"), during the party, Jean discovers Rab's letter and is outraged at Rab's infidelity, Ally then proposes to Liz, but she turns him down, a mass brawl develops, Yvonne is horrified at Davy's aggression. Jean is horrified that Rab intends to keep seeing his newly found daughter, Jean sends him to Coventry and he sleeps on a sofa, Jean eventually feels guilty and blames herself for her family falling apart, but her colleagues at the Scottish National Gallery reassure her that it is not her fault ("Should Have Been Loved"). Meanwhile Rab plans a special meal to make up with Jean, but he suffers a heart attack and is taken to hospital, he recovers, he and Jean reconcile ("Sunshine on Leith"), Jean agrees to let Rab see his daughter and brought her see to the hospital to see him. Yvonne and Davy have reconciled ("Then I Met You"), however Liz and Ally's relationship has dissolved, Ally decides to re-enlist in the army, while Liz accepts an offer of a job nursing in Florida ("Letter from America"). Davy and Yvonne have an argument, she prepares to leave Edinburgh, but before she can reach Waverley railway station, Davy catches her and declares his commitment to her in Princes Street Gardens. They reconcile again ("I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"), Jean and Rab sing verses, and Ally on patrol also sings, Liz is seen at work opening a letter from Ally, it is a fairly happy ending. Also starring Jason Flemyng as Harry Harper, Emily-Jane Boyle as Christine, Paul Brannigan as Ronnie, Dexter Fletcher as Drunk Outside Pub and The Proclaimers (twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid) as Twins Leaving Pub. The film adopts a very similar style to the Mamma Mia! Formula, the cast are chosen well, in particular Horrocks and Mullan, it is a simple story of relationships rekindled and troubled, it blends the dramatic and fun moments well, and the songs do make more interesting, "Letter from America" and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" are the highlights, all together it is a likeable musical drama. It was nominated the Scotland BAFTA for Best Feature Film. Good!
-
joachimokeefe6 September 2014Sunshine on Leith is a kind of 'Mamma Mia' for Scots twin brother folk/rock duo The Proclaimers - it strings a catalogue of their songs around a story of two soldiers returning from duty in Afghanistan. The opening, set in a personnel carrier where all the soldiers start to sing, is quite effective, except that it goes on far too long and the lead character is not established or marked out in any way.
Once that's finally over, I think we get a kind of soap opera of two or more families and their Mike Leigh-style problems; I'm not sure because there is a long, repetitive song shoehorned into every scene, which goes on and on in that inexorable Proclaimers way that the twins Craig and Charlie manage to make work live, but when it's performed (or mimed to) by drama students (none of whom can sing and act at the same time) mugging their faces off, the song outstays its welcome over and over and over again.
In every scene it's like some school production where the director said, 'well I know it's strictly not good drama, but you can all have a whacking great showstopper each, and we can all be great pals, OK?. Yes, even you, Peter Mullan, because no-one is to be left out'. The writer has just transferred River City to Andrew Lloyd Webber Hell. A TV soap script DOES NOT WQRK on the big screen, OK? After a while you start to imagine logos for advertisers drifting up on screen - SOL becomes like an endless series of outtakes from adverts for cider, as happy faces drift around glittering bars. The end may be good: it's isn't worth putting up with the first half for. You'll just want to change channel, like you do in the adverts. -
stephen_mac26 May 2014I'd like to find something negative to write about this film but the truth is that from those dramatic opening moments of the atmospheric crescendo that is Sky Takes the Soul, you just know that this is going to be a good movie.
Scratch that, it's going to be great movie!
Now I have to declare a vested interest here in being an ex-pat Scot, however being a Glaswegian watching a movie set in Edinburgh you have to go a long way to impress me, but if I say - and if you quote me I'll deny it - that even I found myself falling in love with the majesty of Auld Reekie, then it certainly is impressive. As a vehicle for the Scottish tourism industry this is a great advert, from the Edinburgh Acropolis, to the castle itself, to the beautiful views of the water of the Firth of Forth to Princes Park and to night time shots of the illuminated Athens of the North, this is the Scottish Capital at its majestic best. After 19 years abroad, I finally found something to make me homesick.
And at heart, that is what Sunshine on Leith really is, a love story set to the euphoric lyrical poetry of The Proclaimers, full of the joys and pains of life. Centring on the return home of two Scottish soldiers, best pals, from the war in Afghanistan, Sunshine on Leith deals with their challenges in making new lives and loves, its about their families, the challenges of growing older and maintaining excitement in life or at the younger spectrum, of deciding on who you are, who you want to be and finding out that the grass is not always greener but that often you have to find that out for yourself.
For most people, there are two alternating states you will find yourself in at all times while watching this movie - laughing or crying. There is very little in between as you accompany Davy (George MacKay) and Ally (Kevin Guthrie) on their return home and the varying highs and lows of day to day life out of the rigid routine of the army, all of which is out of their control.
The musical score defies you not to get up in the middle of the theatre and sing or clap along, such is the power of The Proclaimers' catchy tunes and clever insightful lyrics that capture the fears of young and unknown love, the blossoming joys of new relationships, the hurts of rejection and breaking hearts, the challenges of dealing with life in general and so much more. If you're not a fan of The Proclaimers going in, you will be when you come out. It's challenging to remember that the movie was written to the music and not the other way around as the two dovetail so well together.
What makes it even harder to resist the toe tapping and humming, the laughing and the crying is that throughout the movie you are left with the sense that the actors themselves were having a great time making it, such is their own passion coming through in their roles. There are no big names to sell this movie as we've seen in other recent big budget musicals, just good solid acting, and perhaps it is the absence of any big names and egos helps along the chemistry on screen between the characters (not all of whom are Scottish it must be pointed out, not that one would know from their excellent accents).
There are some great dance scenes throughout and watching Scotsmen dancing away with pint glasses in hand is a real representation of the local life and knowing that makes it all the more fun to watch. Resist if you can, the spirited rendition of "Over and Done With" or the mocking fun of the boys singing "Let's Get Married" in the middle of the pub while watching the football, let alone the progressive dancing through the National Art Gallery to the accompanying "Should Have Been Loved".
There are some great moments throughout the movie that if unprepared for can be missed so brush up on what Charlie and Craig Reid (the twin brothers who are The Proclaimers) look like now, otherwise you may miss their cameo appearance early on in the movie which is funny indeed. Tribute is paid of course to Hibs, the Reid brothers' favourite football team and Leith local side. There are the in-jokes of the Scots between the civilised east of Edinburgh and the wild wests of Glasgow, just as much as there are the jibes about the Scottish rivalries with the English and England in general.
Stand out moments must include the spectacular backdrop view from the windows while protagonists Davy and love interest Yvonne ardently sing the heartfelt "Then I Met You" quite literally at each other. Equally so, it is moving to finally see "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" returned to it's rightful place as an eloquent love song rather than a novelty of oh so many Friday night pub scenes and karaoke bars. And watch out for the charms of "wee" John Spence playing Ally's young nephew "Brendan" who steals the spotlight in his few scenes with his cheek and charms.
Sunshine on Leith is the feel good movie you will want, nay "need" to see over and over again and each and every time you will laugh and cry just as much as the first time! -
jamesgouldsnr11 October 2018It's a tricky one because it's kind of a terrible movie. Pretty much everything about it is, well, not great.
But I also think I enjoyed it! I need to watch it again to make up my mind, but I'm genuinely confused.
I found myself cringing for most of the time, but also smiling. So I say give it a watch and see what you think, because I honestly don't know which way to swing! -
leonblackwood1 February 2014Review: This movie was definitely what I expected from Dexter Fletcher. As soon as they starting singing at the beginning, I knew that I had made a big mistake. If it wasn't for the annoying singing, the film wouldn't have been half bad, but I should have read the plot before I rented it. The ending was REALLY bad. It reminded me of a advert that was filmed at Liverpool street. There is an embedded concept that was well put together, but on the whole, it's weak and bloody annoying. Disappointing!
Round-Up: When I saw that Jason Flemying, who is only in a couple of scenes, and Peter Mullan was in this film, I had high hopes, but what a let down. There are a couple of scenes that wasn't that bad but then they start bloody singing. I really didn't expect this type of movie from Dexter Fletcher, who is known for movies that are not in this type of genre. Anyway, I'm not the best person to rate this film because my brain switched off after the first 10 minutes.
Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: £4.1million
I recommend this movie to people who are into there musicals/dramas about 2 Scottish friends getting back to ordinary life after being in Afghanistan. 2/10