The Etruscan Smile

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.

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.

We saw this at the Palm Springs Film Festival in Jan. 2019. Our question after seeing a movie is always "Could this can been improved?" In this case, the answer is a firm "No." It's pretty much perfect within the bounds of what it set out to do. It tells a realistic story in a straightforward way (no time shifting! Hurray!). It held our attention throughout--no looking at watches. It's pretty much Brian Cox's movie since he is in every scene, and he does a great job. He had to learn Gaelic to play the part, and as far as I can see did a fantastic job.

Is it a comedy or a drama? Both. Certainly the comedic angle is almost always there, but there are touches (esp. the scenes with Rosanna Arquette) where it gets fairly serious and has a serious message. But it never hits you over the head with sentimentality or its "message." The director seems to have found a perfect middle ground. This seems to be getting rarer, so congratulations are in order.

Finally, it reminded me of a 2016 Finnish movie, "The Grump," which also featured a older man who lived in the countryside who visits his son in the big city (Helsinki, in this case). He is technologically inept, leading to several hilarious scenes, and he interferes in his daughter-in-law's business. It was more of a pure comedy than "Etruscan Smile." Curiously, neither Brian Cox nor the director were aware of the Finnish movie.

An affecting story with plenty of Gallic charm and charming actors not the least of whom is a baby with fantastic abilities. This is the best movie Brian Cox has made!

Always worth watching a film with Brian Cox in it. But adds nothing new to the genre, but well made all round.