That Sinking Feeling

I saw this film a few weeks ago on television. Not expecting much, I was completely taken with it. It is a charming, poignant and funny story that takes place in working-class Glascow. What could have been a story about despair, unemployment, bleak prospects and rage against the system turned into a delightful caper film. The director obviously has a lot of love for the city of Glascow, and it shows itself at every turn I won't give the plot away except to say that this film is proof that you don't need a big budget, special effects, gratuitous violence and drawn-out car chases to make a wonderful film.

Two little things stand out in my mind. The 2 youths who break into an impromptu singing of the Sex Pistols' "Holiday in the Sun" when asked they they were planning to go after the caper, and the doctor, who when predicting life in 2069 remarks that "Partick Thistle" will have won the European Cup". You have to know a little about football (soccer) to appreciate the humor in that. Speaking of football, we never did find out if the characters in the film were from the "green half" or "blue half" of Glascow. Pity that, but it does not detract from a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend this film.

WARNING: My comments should be regarded as - a sad old sod's musings on a movie remembered fondly from his youth! I'm not going to dissect the movie scene by scene. I won't compare Forsyth's earlier works with his best known or "finest" moments. I'm not even going to discuss any particular aspect of the film! Not the setting, the story, the dialogue, not even the individual performances! I'm simply going to say that I remember watching this movie (with my family) on TV back in the early eighties and laughing so hard it actually hurt! I have no idea if it has aged well or not because I haven't seen it in over 20 years but I will say this in it's favour/defence, "That Sinking Feeling" gave Glasgow a voice and a character that's rarely been heard before nor since! Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Glaswegian so I have no personal axe to grind in that respect, I just feel that the human face of Glasgow (or Scotland for that matter) hasn't been depicted quite so sympathetically as in this movie. It seems to me that, when contemporary filmmakers try to present an "honest" depiction of the Glaswegian he tends to go for the "gritty realism" of the drunk or the druggie or the wife beating hard-man! That Sinking Feeling took a different tack and demonstrated the dry Scottish humour we all recognise (even more-so, we natives of Scotland) and perhaps that's why we seem to remember it so fondly. Anyway, if you can find a copy, watch it! Just don't expect any cool CG effects or Seinfeldesque banter, just good clean working class urban banality and the comedic observations you'd expect from a good clean working class director feeling his way!

Incidentally, sometime back in 1992/3 I met the redheaded actor (shamefully I can't recall his name right now) from "That Sinking Feeling" working in Stirling castle, conducting tours and the like! Not only does he star in one of my favourite productions, he is also an all round, really nice guy!

Bonus!

This debut film from Scottish film comedian Bill Forsyth is decent non-think entertainment. It has the low-budget charm of a student film, which can be its asset or liability, depending on how you look at it. Really, it's hard to envision this same low-key robbery story filmed in a bigger budget studio style. However, it's flaws are quite evident. It has a very choppy editing style, with each scene encompassing a different joke - similar to Monty Python short sketches. The storyline never really jells together, and unlike Forsyth's more polished later films, there's not much character development to speak of. The script has plenty of sharp one-liners, but few really great shakes.

As a gestation of the kind of stellar comedic talent Forsyth was to become in a few years, this movie is worth taking a look at. I did find myself laughing quite a few times, and am sure you will find some reasons to enjoy this, also.

I love this film, and it is such a shame that anything he did post local hero didn't capture any of this. How many films have a character trying to drown himself in a bowl of cornflakes, a police radio only used for ordering cream buns, a lad pretending to buy a television just to scav a ciggies. Lines like 'multiple social deprivation' actually make you laugh. Kids selling ciggies. A youngster boasting of his o-levels in front of a statue. A car which is not a car. It is funny without being patronising. Watch it, it is shown now and then on Channel five in the daytime.

6 minutes in and one of the lads was talking about his recent and rather lackadaisical suicide attempt involving a spoonful of cornflakes and holding his nose. Brilliant lol! A lot of the dialogue is very quotable and the comedy is pretty damn dark at times. Not every joke and gag lands though and the acting is quite awkward throughout. I enjoyed this film but it has dated CONSIDERABLY and I don't think many outside of Scotland would give it the time of day.