Racha

Ignore the naysayers - Great introspective film - the introspection may make it hard to watch but worth it.

There are other reviews that put it more eloquently, but once all's said and done, the truth is this film is dull, mesmerisingly depressing and devoid of any real story. I actually watched it on the strength of Amy Manson but she's only in less than half of it, and not enough to lift it out of the doldrums Anger, depression, sadness, disappointment, and absolutely no hope whatsoever for the future is what this film brings. There is no escape from the misery so I give it a 3.

This is quite an interesting observational piece that goes some way to illustrating the lack of opportunities and activities in small, one-industry, towns. This film is based around Fraserburgh - a town of 13,000-odd folk in the north of Scotland that is home to a fishing fleet but very little else. Mark Stanley is "Finnie" a Fraserburgh lifer who works in a fish processing factory. His son does too, at least until the start of this 24 hour dip into their family lives. His wife works in a hairdressers and they have another younger schoolboy child. Late at night, after a fairly "lively" attempt at a family dinner, "Finnie" borrows his son's car and goes for a bit of a joyride - picking up his son's pregnant ex-girlfriend en route and they race a few local youths then the breakers on the sea wall... anything for an adrenalin rush, it would seem. Unfortunately, we only really get a superficial look at the characters; the frustrations and mundanity of their existence is writ large, but therein lies the film's problem - it is a bit like watching goldfish in a dirty bowl; we see but cannot empathise or really engage. There is lots of pent up anger amongst the family; but also some affection - which neither "Finnie" nor his son "Kid" (Anders Hayward) have a clue how to demonstrate. It is worth watching, but is remarkably unfulfilling and empty.

I tried to watch this film on BB2 last Sunday night, but had to give up after 20 minutes or so. The reason: the dialogue was almost incomprehensible. I have no problem with the Doric dialect - my parents came from Aberdeenshire but were not from the Buchan area - but because of the actors' continual mumbling. Did the director really encourage his actors to be so incomprehensible? Even James Dean in his heyday was more understandable. Memo to Mr Graham: I don't expect actors in Scottish films to talk like RP, but if films like "Local Hero" are understandable to non Scottish audiences, the so should this one.

Most scenes are literally dark but street and car lights provide metaphorical shafts of brightness throughout.It gives the impression that the sea port of Fraserburgh is a uniquely insulated area however the story whilst brutally realistic in many respects is also insightful and poignant. The car race is amazingly professional with unexpected sharp-intake-of-breath-hair-raising scenes. The young local actor Scott Murray is refreshing and natural. He provides light-hearted amusement with his best line being a plaintive voice calling from upstairs, "Dad we've run out of lavvy roll." slang for toilet paper. Mark Stanley, is authentic and grasps the strong local dialect whilst effectively portraying the mundane, gruelling existenceof a fish-filleter. Graham captures the boy-racers' time honoured rendezvous at the 'Flaggy' and almost tragically refers to the only night club in town. His raw perception of small town culture is revealing with its depiction of a dead-end repetitive lifestyle which the main character, in his youth, had every intention to run from. Yet even though he can foresee his life choices being replayed by his son the film ended beautifully with an illuminating realization and ray of hope. Definitely worth watching.