The Flying Scotsman

Were this to have been a sports movie, it would have still been very much worth the ticket. However, the personal story and the battles he had to fight turned this into something so much more. I took my wife, my son and his girlfriend to see this and we all came away feeling the same. 3 of us knew so much about Graeme Obree, but my son's girlfriend had never heard of him, and has no interest in most sport, especially not cycling. That we all loved it says they got that balance right. The cast were excellent with Jonny Lee Miller playing Obree to perfection. Ably supported by Billy Boyd and Brian Cox and Laura Fraser as his wife. This film may do something to raise the profile of amateur cycling. However, even more importantly, it may highlight the issues associated with mental illness. Try to see it, you will not regret it.

I am a sucker for sports movies where an individual or team overcomes adversity to become champions. I really don't care for the sport of cycling, seeing it just as a two-wheeled version of NASCAR, round and round and round ad nausea, but it was the man, Graeme Obree, played by Jonny Lee Miller, that was interesting.

Battling depression and Ernst Hagemann (Steven Berkoff) really would take the courage of Rambo. I never could figure what Hagemann had against him, but his antics would make anyone crazy.

Brian Cox was fantastic as the minister that was there for him.

Laura Fraser (Land of the Blind, Iron Jawed Angels) was also excellent as his wife Anne.

First, this movie is much better than "Chariots of Fire," albeit without the famous soundtrack. Second, this movie speaks to anyone who has spent hours on a stationary bike, pedaled through verdant countryside, or has challenged themselves to 100 mile day. Third, this movie will resonant with those who've been forced to deal with depression and survived.

I think the cinematography was terrific, except for some of the closeups of Obree on the oval. However, the shots of his front wheel and the tunnel vision which develop during a maximum effort are splendid.

While pushing personal limits of time and distance, there's no way a cyclist won't think about Obree's extreme effort and success.

I saw it in Aberdeen on Sat night, I wasn't really expecting much as sporting films are usually bordering on rubbish but it was very entertaining. Everyone quotes the bike "built from washing machine parts" but very seldom is Graeme Obree acknowledged as the superb (drug-free) athlete that he was. I would recommend it, although it does over simplify events, as cinema usually does, but it was 90 mins well spent. I hope Graeme benefits from its release. Her indoors also thoroughly enjoyed it even if it was very much, my choice of film. I would recommend it if you just enjoy a good story. In fact it is such a good tale that sometimes it is easy to forget that it is a true story and just how heroic Graeme Obree 's feats were.

This was a film I knew nothing about, and a sport I know pretty much nothing about. Saying that I do love sports of all kinds, so I am probably biased. I also like when sports movies are told well, because most of them are not. The only reason this film wasn't a huge hit is because I don't think there is a lot of big bicycle racing movie fans out there. Do I hope this gets a good run on DVD, absolutely. Will very many people pick up a movie (particularly in the U.S.) about a Scottish man racing bicycles, almost definitely not. I thought that even though the story was very straight forward, it was very well written, competently directed, and excellently acted. If this was acted by any other lesser actors, this film would have just been another sports movie. If not for the very underrated and quite unknown Jonny Lee Miller starring in the title role I doubt this would have been worth watching at all. Just as "Seabiscuit" made the world love horse racing, hopefully so will this get some well deserved attention. Give it a try if you are looking for a good old fashioned sports flick.