Stone of Destiny

It's 1950 Glasgow. Ian Hamilton (Charlie Cox) and his friend Bill Craig (Billy Boyd) are young Scottish Nationalists. John MacCormick (Robert Carlyle) is pushing for a Scottish Parliament and home rule. There is much apathy at home and rejection in London. Ian comes up with the idea of retaking the Stone of Destiny. It was the seat of Scottish royalty that was taken by the English to Westminster Abbey in London and incorporated into the Coronation Chair. Ian cases the Abbey and goes to MacCormick for financial help who is surprised by his lowly £50 request. Bill backs out fearing arrest. MacCormick directs Ian to Kay Matheson (Kate Mara) who brings along strong Gavin Vernon who then brings along his skinny friend Alan Stuart and a rundown car.

This works as a good old fashion caper film. It's got plenty of underdog and a large splash of Scottish nationalism. Charlie Cox is solid with the wide-eyed youthful exuberance. The group's chemistry is generally good. The ending gets a bit too sentimental but that's perfectly fine for this movie.

I for one would like to enter a plea on its behalf that people should see this film and make up their own minds. As someone who knows something about shaping a story, I am sure that a wider audience will find it a very competent adventure story with moments of real suspense, while for Scots it gives them the flavour of a moment in history and catches very authentically the emotions roused in a wide range of people by the Stone's recovery. The participants, though young, had potentially too much to lose for the raid to be dismissed as a student prank. Like it or not, there was real patriotic fervour at work here and a desire to remedy an old wrong. This is a well written, well acted film, although the reaction of the Scottish critics would have you think otherwise. It is hard to know what personal or professional uncertainty made for such a grudging reception, but it would be a pity if it meant that fewer people saw the film.

I just saw Stone of Destiny at its world premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival. The stars and director were in attendance as well as Ian Hamilton and Alan Stuart themselves.

I enjoyed this film very much. It's got humour and heart and characters that you can really get behind. You really want to see them succeed. It's also hard not to feel a swell of patriotism come the end -if you're a Scot. Otherwise you'll still get a warm feeling inside The cast are likable and their performances are good - although Charlie Cox and Kate Mara's accents weren't entirely convincing they both put in winning performances. The supporting cast are also good value with Stephen McCole making a very personable member of the team. Billy Boyd and Robert Carlyle do well with slightly limited roles.

There are a few niggles - like the aforementioned accents - and some suspiciously green looking trees given that its set in winter, but these are minor. I can see this doing very well when it is put on general release, and that success will be deserved.

My wife and I took our 10 year old. The time didn't drag and it was nicely done. Not a life changing, earth shattering film that you'd necessarily bother to see again, but it passed a pleasant evening and we were glad we'd gone to see it. It captured the sometimes bumbling and chaotic nature of of this kind of endeavour, and there were a few edge of the seat moments. The acting was fine and it captured the feel of a different era when we weren't so paranoid about terrorism and public buildings were much more easily accessible. I guess a lot of non-Scots won't fully understand the reference to the Declaration of Arbroath (I saw it on display in Edinburgh many years ago and it blew me away - and I'm an Englishman!).

Stone of Destiny is stirring and while it never claims to be Braveheart it does capture a lot of what Scotland's quest to be free is all about; and is surprisingly moving.

A fun film about the true theft of the very potent symbol of Scottish heritage also known as Jacob's Pillow (As Jacob was meant to have slept on it after wrestling the angel in Genesis): the Scottish coronation stone.

It is simply told with old-fashioned values - it reminded us of 1950s cinema - something about a good story well-told, a caper with moral vision, if you will.

Above all it was fun. The time whizzed by and it really is an entertaining watch. The attempts to capture the 50s are good, there are some slight anachronisms here and there but overall it holds good. The actors all give it their all and there is a real sense of fun to be had here.

If you want a great adventure story and like true stories then this will definitely be your cup of tea.