Restless Natives

In 1985 two American directors came to Scotland to make a movie and jump on the Bill Forsyth bandwagon.

Cary Parker made The Girl in the Picture. Michael Hoffman made Restless Natives.

To be fair you would be hard pushed to think that both movies were made by Americans. However they did fail to capture the fabled Scottish whimsy which Forsyth could do effortlessly.

Restless Natives is about two friends living in Edinburgh and their lives is going nowhere.

Ronnie (Joe Mullaney) works in a joke shop. Will (Vincent Friell) worked as a street cleaner but was soon fired.

They decide to become modern highwaymen by robbing tour busses usually full of American tourists that traipse around the highlands. To hide their identity Ronnie wears a clown mask and Will wears a wolf mask.

Pretty soon both become local heroes courtesy of throwing some of their money away to people in need.

The police and one CIA agent (Ned Beatty) do not see the funny side of these robberies.

The movie was regarded as quirky and charming at the time of its release. Now it looks like a hotchpot screenplay. It is hard to root for two teenagers robbing older holidaymakers with guns.

It was a surprise that their identities remained undiscovered given that all the kids in the neighbourhood knew who they were as well as so many others.

Even the love interest between Will and a young Scot tour guide was a bit of a stretch.

You really have to take the movie as a flight of fancy and fantasy.

The best thing about the movie was the music from Big Country. Back in the day they were regarded as equals with U2 with their rousing Celtic guitar sound.

Restless Natives is a lovely little curiosity of a film from Scotland. I first discovered the film as a kid and had watched it about 4 times, and had very fond memories of it. On seeing it again recently, I think it is a minor masterpiece of Scottish Comedy. Great idea, fun script, charming acting, good supporting cast, great uplifting music from Big Country and beautiful locations. As a Scotsman, we always get a bit patriotic seeing Scottish locations and hearing Scottish accents in films, and this doesn't disappoint. Forget Braveheart, this is a film that makes me proud to be a Scot. Now, I'm not saying this is by any means a brilliant film... I'm saying that if you like your comedies quirky, silly, fun and with a bit of heart then this is for you. Fantastic acting from Vincent Friell, Joe Mullaney, Bernard Hill, Robert Urquart and Ned Beatty. This film is great, I urge anyone who has seen it years ago to go and get the DVD when it comes out - you won't be disappointed. Favourite moments have to be Vincent's sweeping in the park, the cop in the joke shop, any scene with Ned Beatty and that brilliant chase across Scotland at the end. Yes, there are plenty of weak points in this film too but it makes me smile so much I don't care.

I first saw this movie in about 1986. Back then I was 15 and loved razzing round on motorbikes (still do!). I also regularly went on holiday to the North West of Scotland, Glencoe in particular, and was delighted to see a lot of the beautiful scenery of that part of Scotland captured within this film.

There are some excellent performances from the main characters, Joe Mullaney and Vincent Freill, not that well known, except in Scotland, but great nonetheless. Perhaps more famous are the actors who played supporting roles, Ned Beatty, Bernard Hill, Robert Urquhart, and cameos from the likes of Brian Forbes, Nanette Newman and Mel Smith.

The Soundtrack is also worth noting. I'm not a fan of Big Country, but the music that they produced for this film is absolutely excellent and complements it completely. I loved the soundtrack for this so much, that I spent 13 years tracking it down! At first it was only available as 2 b-sides split across 2 12-inch singles they had out, but eventually they released it in its entirety on 'Restless Natives - Hits and rarities' in 1998. It's a double cd, I bought it for the 35 minute soundtrack on the 2nd CD and that's the only stuff I play from Big Country - sorry boys! The movie itself was also quite elusive! I had a copy on VHS that I recorded off the telly. It was commercially available on VHS in the late 80's early 90's, then was discontinued! There then followed about 12 years of not being able to buy it at all. The surge of DVD re-issues of old films seemed to overlook Restless Natives for what seemed like an eternity, I had begun to think the Oxford Film Foundation had lost the original film reels! DVD copies of the original VHS were beginning to appear on Ebay, with the original VHS itself starting to attract a premium! Then, all of a sudden, in 2005, 20 years after it's original release, 'Optimum Releasing' brought it out on DVD in full glory! Hurrah! A bonus with the DVD is a short interview with Vincent Friell, who played Will. He looks a bit different after 20 years! Classic little bits to look out for in no particular order:- -Little old lady, mother of 'wee Angus' belting Ronnie Witherspoon unbelievably hard across the face with her hand before beating him remorselessly with a joke rubber squeaky baseball bat while Will disguises himself with a Groucho Marx Nose, Glasses and Moustache kit . - Classic physical comedy. -Watch Will playing with the green slime in the background while Ronnie is speaking to the policeman in the joke shop. Both of them provide an excellent depiction of two lads who think they're gonna get 'found out'. But all the copper wants is to buy a pair of false breasts! -Check out Will rocking back on his chair while talking to his dad at the dinner table. He just about leans back past the point of no return, before recovering it just as his dad shouts at his sister. -The street cleaner who spins his cart round with joy as he's just swept up loads of money, nearly overturns the whole thing! -Look out for the sign pointing to Glencoe Village before the scene where they're arrested. Anyone who's been to the 'Clachaig hotel' in Glencoe will recognise it! All in all, a cracking little movie, well shot, well acted, good soundtrack, lovely scenery. Pace is pretty much spot-on, although if I was pushed, I'd say it drags a touch towards the last quarter of the movie, only because the beginning and middle flow so well. Nice little twist at the end. Definitely worth a watch!

This is the kind of film that always cracks a smile on your dial. It's cute without being irritating, it's stupid without being offensive - it's all you want in an old fashioned comedy. And the accents are like honey lozengers; infact this is the very film you should watch if you are ill, or recovering from a hangover wrapped in a blanket infront of the TV. And the soundtrack by Big Country is an absolute hoot! What a film!!

I saw this film years ago, taped it from TV and watched it over and over. I wait patiently for some distributer to produce 'Restless Natives' on DVD so that it can, once more, be a part of my collection.

Onto the film: it is rare that you see a Scottish film that is entertaining, doesn't have actors forcing their accents and actually makes you think "being Scottish isn't so bad" - this film actually fits the bill.

It takes the old "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" formula, transplants it into Scotland, and provides non stop entertainment - you may even be inspired to wear a clown mask and rob tourist buses whilst becoming Scotlands greatest tourist attraction too; it can be that inspiring.

Other reviews state that this film has a weak ending, however I feel that there was nowhere else for the film to go; this statement in itself doesn't make too much sense until you have seen the film though.

All in all, an enjoyable film that will bring a smile to most faces and perhaps even relight the fire of Scottish patriotism. You may even enjoy the "Big Country" soundtrack.