Sunshine on Leith

source: Sunshine on Leith

You know the expression "white people can't dance" – well at least not since Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. This film is definite proof of that. Dancing is not waving your hands in the air. All the dance scenes look the same – similar to a you-tube flash-mob. Choreography not required. And the singing is worse. Aside from a few comic scenes during the dance hall – this is cloying and predictable – and Boring (capital "B" intended). The characters are un-engaging. It looked at times like a Scottish tourist brochure. Overall this approaches the banal. A musical must have a sense of vitality and an energy force - this was sadly lacking.

So-called 'budget' movie manages to tick almost all the right boxes. The Proclaimers' music is not always easy, but the cast make a good - sometimes excellent - stab at it. Good acting all round although casting might have been a tad more appropriate. The storyline hangs together well, and gets better as it develops into 3 distinct strands. There are moments of comedy, high drama, and emotional romance-gone-wrong. It evokes different emotions and I noticed even grown men rubbing their eyes at bits. Surprisingly, not usually the same scenes which seemed to affect women. A touch of Men are from Mars perhaps; or just in touch with their feminine side. Scenery and scene setting were excellent. The cityscape shots of Edinburgh were truly remarkable, although the director played havoc with Edinburgh's actual street directions. The finale, obviously filmed around Festival time, was great and worth the additional cost. Go see it, then visit Edinburgh during the festival and 'enjoy' it again.

Mark Kermode doesn't always get it right. He heaped praise on this and quite frankly, it's awful. Now granted I'm not one for musicals, but I can be persuaded, you can't knock a bit of West Side Story and the Belle and Sebastian scored God Help The Girl a few years back was fantastic. It took me three sittings to grind through this schmalzy crap though. The songs are annoying, the characters are annoying, the story largely uneventful, to the point that take the songs out of this and there'd be little left. I hoped that this would redeem Edinburgh on the movie map after the disappointment of Trainspotting 2. It does not. Choose... something else.

I'm sure I've seen worse films in my life - I just can't remember when. This was pure and utter cringe-worthy rubbish!! The singing, the songs and their environments couldn't have been worse. And inappropriate - my god! Honestly I've seen better kindergarten school plays. The story line was paper-thin and completely pointless. Why would anyone make a film like this? It wasn't entertaining and had nothing to say. I can only surmise it was produced as a tax dodge. I have absolutely no idea how this could have gotten 6.6 on IMDb. If I could, I'd give it 0.66

Well, Les Mis was awful and garnered box office and awards, while Mamma Mia made a fortune had great songs by Abba but was poorly played and a bore, whereas Sunshine on Leith - based on songs by The Proclaimers - is an absolute triumph all round, but will probably only be seen by a tiny proportion of the audience those two overblown movies above generated. Ah well, the movie business! Shame on you! The feel good is great here, even though it is tempered by a real insight into Scots and scottishness - soldiers and emigration being well to the fore. The acting is joyous and heartfelt, while the singing is brash and thoughtful at the same time - why Tom Hooper made such a fuss of singing live in Les Mis when clarity and quality such as here are on offer - and it is better too! The numbers gel remarkably well with the story and break free from the singalong antics of tenth rate crooning Meryl et al gave us. The direction is chipper and well thought out, while the £500k lobbed out for a re-shoot of the final number ( '500 miles') is well worth it as Edinburgh comes alive to celebrate a very good movie. See it!

This film is a series of interconnected situations regarding relationships, all based in the same family. Davy and Ally come back from combat, to seemingly the delight of everyone. Ally looks to rekindle his relationship with Liz, who is Davy's sister. Davy meets Liz's best friend Yvonne and they begin a relationship. Liz and Davy's parents Rab and Jean appear very happy about this. There, however, are secrets and actions that threaten to undermine all of the relationships. When the film is set to songs by the Scottish group The Proclaimers (American audiences will know them from their big hit 500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be),sung by the characters and others joining in, the movie is wonderful, it is vibrant and fun, along with sad and even heartbreaking. When the stories are told without music the movie falters, since it becomes almost like a soap opera. However, look past those moments and bask in the great city of Edinburgh and sing along if you can. Its those moments that make this film really worthwhile.

Review: This movie was definitely what I expected from Dexter Fletcher. As soon as they starting singing at the beginning, I knew that I had made a big mistake. If it wasn't for the annoying singing, the film wouldn't have been half bad, but I should have read the plot before I rented it. The ending was REALLY bad. It reminded me of a advert that was filmed at Liverpool street. There is an embedded concept that was well put together, but on the whole, it's weak and bloody annoying. Disappointing! Round-Up: When I saw that Jason Flemying, who is only in a couple of scenes, and Peter Mullan was in this film, I had high hopes, but what a let down. There are a couple of scenes that wasn't that bad but then they start bloody singing. I really didn't expect this type of movie from Dexter Fletcher, who is known for movies that are not in this type of genre. Anyway, I'm not the best person to rate this film because my brain switched off after the first 10 minutes. Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: £4.1million I recommend this movie to people who are into there musicals/dramas about 2 Scottish friends getting back to ordinary life after being in Afghanistan. 2/10

If your a drab and miserable hard hearted person this film is NOT for you. Also if you don't like the music of the proclaimers I wouldn't bother. Im 24 years of age, and watched this on an extremely personal emotional day for me and as much as it added to my tears of sadness and heartbreak at parts , it added to my laughter and joy with real cheese and then elation of following dreams and going after what you believe in, its a real pick and mix film with ultimate highs to lows. Yes it is quite cheesy but when you have "lets get married" by the proclaimers thrown in you expect nothing less. I think as a fan of the proclaimers they have managed to include the music by the lads in the film without turning it into simply a "musical" they have balanced the music and story to a tee. music nor storyline taking over. very cleverly done. I actually enjoyed all of the actors, and as much as I found it weird to hear other people sing the proclaimers songs I think they all done extremely well.. and how the screenwriters tied in different scenes to one song was fabulous. The only thing I did find slightly off putting was watching Jane horrocks having seen her in so many adverts dramas & TV programmes with a broad English accent it was odd, BUT in saying that she done a sterling job. As much as it isn't a blockbuster hit, its a genuine warmth hit to the heart and for that I will watch this film when ever I feel low to re inspire me. It may be not for you? It may be... but if your not sure at least take the chance.. I must admit I slightly underestimated it... so I was not left disappointed. I rate it a 9 fab music, actors, singers and dancers and I commend the fact yes its cheesy and a roller coaster of emotions but the accents are genuine and NOT over done to the point your cringing while watching river city.

Sunshine on Leith is a kind of 'Mamma Mia' for Scots twin brother folk/rock duo The Proclaimers - it strings a catalogue of their songs around a story of two soldiers returning from duty in Afghanistan. The opening, set in a personnel carrier where all the soldiers start to sing, is quite effective, except that it goes on far too long and the lead character is not established or marked out in any way. Once that's finally over, I think we get a kind of soap opera of two or more families and their Mike Leigh-style problems; I'm not sure because there is a long, repetitive song shoehorned into every scene, which goes on and on in that inexorable Proclaimers way that the twins Craig and Charlie manage to make work live, but when it's performed (or mimed to) by drama students (none of whom can sing and act at the same time) mugging their faces off, the song outstays its welcome over and over and over again. In every scene it's like some school production where the director said, 'well I know it's strictly not good drama, but you can all have a whacking great showstopper each, and we can all be great pals, OK?. Yes, even you, Peter Mullan, because no-one is to be left out'. The writer has just transferred River City to Andrew Lloyd Webber Hell. A TV soap script DOES NOT WQRK on the big screen, OK? After a while you start to imagine logos for advertisers drifting up on screen - SOL becomes like an endless series of outtakes from adverts for cider, as happy faces drift around glittering bars. The end may be good: it's isn't worth putting up with the first half for. You'll just want to change channel, like you do in the adverts.