The Flying Scotsman

An inspiring movie I had the pleasure of seeing at the Edinburgh film festival. I was briefly in the same cycling club as Obree. I followed his career and read his autobiography. I still cycle today and boy was I pleasantly surprised at the twists, turns and intrigue which come out in the movie; it gave me new perspectives on a complex and colourful life.

What Obree did was monumental and this film does him justice, shedding light on his inner struggles and showcasing what an innovative, committed and strong world beater the man is. Don't pigeon hole this as some kind of sports extravaganza - it is a highly entertaining look at the life of an entertaining and brilliant man.

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.

A fantastic portrayal of a true champion - who battled not only the physical elements required for cycling but also mental illness to become one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Johnny Lee Miller is a revelation in the lead role and ably supported by Brian Cox and Billy Boyd. Shame it is not on full release as this is a story that should be heard, unlike other triumph against disaster sappy biopics which have been allowed a wider release. Even if you are not interested in cycling as a sport, this is more about the challenges life puts in your way on the route to any goal and how single-mindedness and determination can win the day but can also be derailed.

Go and see this if you can America - I know he was British but the film and the story speak for themselves.

This was a film I knew nothing about, and a sport I know pretty much nothing about. Saying that I do love sports of all kinds, so I am probably biased. I also like when sports movies are told well, because most of them are not. The only reason this film wasn't a huge hit is because I don't think there is a lot of big bicycle racing movie fans out there. Do I hope this gets a good run on DVD, absolutely. Will very many people pick up a movie (particularly in the U.S.) about a Scottish man racing bicycles, almost definitely not. I thought that even though the story was very straight forward, it was very well written, competently directed, and excellently acted. If this was acted by any other lesser actors, this film would have just been another sports movie. If not for the very underrated and quite unknown Jonny Lee Miller starring in the title role I doubt this would have been worth watching at all. Just as "Seabiscuit" made the world love horse racing, hopefully so will this get some well deserved attention. Give it a try if you are looking for a good old fashioned sports flick.

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.