The Etruscan Smile

Saw this at the Reel Canadian Film Festival in Fernie, BC in January 2019. (The screenplay is by Canadian director, Michael McGowan). The audience loved it.

The cinematography and set direction are superb, the acting is lovely and the pacing is great. The character development is complex and layered; the relationships really develop over time.

Suspend your disbelief a little of the why anyone from Scotland would travel to the US for medical treatment without a referral or a real diagnosis. The book that the story is based on is set in Italy, and has the protagonist move from rural Italy to Milan, which makes a lot more sense. To have had Rory move from Lewis to Glasgow or even London, or from rural USA to San Francisco, would have been an easier sell, but then there wouldn't have been the transatlatic appeal or all the wonderful notes from the Highlands of Scotland.

There's a few other plot holes you'll need to get over too, but this isn't meant to be a a serious study. It's a lovely warm romantic comedy-drama gem that will make you leave the theatre smiling and wanting to spend more time with the people you love.

Just finished watching this, and what a joy. I just had a row with my sister so this tale of estranged father and son was just the ticket to remind me of what family really means.

Brian Cox was excellent as ever, he really gets better with age. A lesser actor might have played the role as a sterotype Scot, but his rough cutting edge at times kept his character grounded in reality.

I didn't even realise who some of the actors were until the end credits, everyone just inhabited their roles.

The shame is that some people will write something like this off as an afternoon movie not worth their attention, well, it's a lot better than many of the blockbusters out there.

I watched this film yesterday evening and am still slightly in awe. The combination of humor and more emotional scenes was honestly breathtaking. The story teaches a very important lesson about family and values.

Lots of ten star ratings from single use accounts. Ie fake positive ratings.

This film is just terrible.

Brian Cox is a good actor but no one else in this film can act.

This was a sweet little movie with a lot of heart. It's that big heart and kind spirit which rises above the flaws and downfalls it has.

Brian Cox is the best part of the film. The relationship depicted with his grandson was really touching. The Scottish cultural elements and use of Gaelic were also highlights. It was one of my main reasons for watching and didn't disappoint. The film would've been better for showcasing even more Scottish scenery and less of life in America.

The majority of the film was set in San Fransisco. In this sense, the film often fell into a Scottish version of Crocodile Dundee. The fish-out-of-water and cultural barriers were played hard and a lot of the comedy relied on this. It began to get old after a while, but thankfully the performances and big heart saved it.

Despite it's dawdling pace, an annoying Thora Birch and some cliches, it's still a fantastic watch. The version I watched was called 'Rory's Way'. Well worth it to see Brian Cox at his best and some Scottish culture.