Flying Scotsman - Allein zum Ziel

What I found most enjoyable about this film is the way it straddles the sport-biopic genres. It maintains the acute acting and psychological fullness of a biopic, aided by a fantastic performance by Miller, while being in keeping with the Hollywood highs and lows aspects of great sports movies.

Those not interested in sport should not be put off by thinking this will be a typically superficial or one dimensional sports film. But those sporty types will also find plenty to satisfy them.

As a big cycling fan I was already well aware of the Obree story and I can assure people that is every bit as incredible if not more so than is shown in the film. Naturally the constraints of a film mean that the Obree story is cut short and we don't see how the Superman position was banned or Obree's subsequent depressions especially after his brother died (indeed his brother is completely missing from the film). But by choosing to limit the time scale it describes it allows time for greater detail particularly in investigated his relationship with the priest and Obree's wife.

Equally the film doesn't embellish the truth a great deal in order to increase the drama. Indeed the world record attempts are incredibly understated, as they should be. Obree was never well known in Britain despite being very popular on the continent. As a result the film isn't filled with cheering crowds but rather focuses the isolation he experienced within Scotland in spite of his amazing achievements.

Were this to have been a sports movie, it would have still been very much worth the ticket. However, the personal story and the battles he had to fight turned this into something so much more. I took my wife, my son and his girlfriend to see this and we all came away feeling the same. 3 of us knew so much about Graeme Obree, but my son's girlfriend had never heard of him, and has no interest in most sport, especially not cycling. That we all loved it says they got that balance right. The cast were excellent with Jonny Lee Miller playing Obree to perfection. Ably supported by Billy Boyd and Brian Cox and Laura Fraser as his wife. This film may do something to raise the profile of amateur cycling. However, even more importantly, it may highlight the issues associated with mental illness. Try to see it, you will not regret it.

I saw it in Aberdeen on Sat night, I wasn't really expecting much as sporting films are usually bordering on rubbish but it was very entertaining. Everyone quotes the bike "built from washing machine parts" but very seldom is Graeme Obree acknowledged as the superb (drug-free) athlete that he was. I would recommend it, although it does over simplify events, as cinema usually does, but it was 90 mins well spent. I hope Graeme benefits from its release. Her indoors also thoroughly enjoyed it even if it was very much, my choice of film. I would recommend it if you just enjoy a good story. In fact it is such a good tale that sometimes it is easy to forget that it is a true story and just how heroic Graeme Obree 's feats were.

I am a sucker for sports movies where an individual or team overcomes adversity to become champions. I really don't care for the sport of cycling, seeing it just as a two-wheeled version of NASCAR, round and round and round ad nausea, but it was the man, Graeme Obree, played by Jonny Lee Miller, that was interesting.

Battling depression and Ernst Hagemann (Steven Berkoff) really would take the courage of Rambo. I never could figure what Hagemann had against him, but his antics would make anyone crazy.

Brian Cox was fantastic as the minister that was there for him.

Laura Fraser (Land of the Blind, Iron Jawed Angels) was also excellent as his wife Anne.

First, this movie is much better than "Chariots of Fire," albeit without the famous soundtrack. Second, this movie speaks to anyone who has spent hours on a stationary bike, pedaled through verdant countryside, or has challenged themselves to 100 mile day. Third, this movie will resonant with those who've been forced to deal with depression and survived.

I think the cinematography was terrific, except for some of the closeups of Obree on the oval. However, the shots of his front wheel and the tunnel vision which develop during a maximum effort are splendid.

While pushing personal limits of time and distance, there's no way a cyclist won't think about Obree's extreme effort and success.