The Etruscan Smile

Look it is what it is, a tried and tested storyline, well acted by all, but of course Brian Cox stands out as the cantankerous old man making amends with his son before it's too late. A touch of humour, humility and love make this compelling ..... I defy anyone not to laugh, have a smile on their face and shed a tear during this movie..... and that's what it's all about, entertainment and feeling, right! Great scenery shots of the Hebrides, not sure if they're all of Lewis but never mind it's still beautiful. Is it a classic, well probably not, but it's memorable and you'd probably recommend it it to others.... it's about real life, there's nobody getting shot, no car chases, no shallow beautiful people talking smart but utterly meaningless waffle! Someone's life is ending and in true style that we'd all like to claim as our own, they're sliding into the pits, tyres worn out, engine leaking like a sieve, out of fuel but making it over the line having driven the hell out of the last few laps, even though the race could have been better driven! Definitely worth watching, I've no idea why some of the reviews are so poor, this is a good movie!

This movie is a little story. Certainly it doesn't take too much from Brian Cox, but he is the best part of the movie, specially the stuff with his grandson. The relationship with his son is kind of shallow but warm in off. I think is okay with the tone of the movie, but i would have been happy to see a whole movie with that and a bit more of drama between this actors. Lovely cinematography, specially on Vallasay. Nice soundtrack. In conclusion a warm movie for a sunday afternoon.

I'll watch anything that Brian Cox is in, which is how we came to view this cliched, platitudinous collection of hackneyed scenes that calls itself a film. It's shot well and has a great cast - Thora Birch, Peter Coyote, Rosanna Arquette and numerous others in support of the great man Cox as cantankerous old Scottish crofter Rory; JJ Feild playing his doe-eyed son Ian. Rory is an Outer Hebridean as reimagined by and viewed through a Hollywood lens - gruff and unforgiving, on first impression but soon the whole of San Francisco is in thrall to his magical, twinkly-eyed wisdom and truth telling. There's a smidgeon of enjoyment to be garnered from watching this fine cast do their thing, but the script is just a series of hoary old cliches strung together one after the other, so our chief enjoyment sprang from predicting what the next rose-tinged moment pressed forth from the cookie-cutter plot machine would be. The good cinematography and production values ratchet it up a notch beyond yer average Hallmark TV movie, to which vapid feelgood "family values" genre this movie most definitely belongs. Cox, and the entire cast, are better than this watery, dire, predictable stuff, but we all gotta pay the rent, eh?

I totally enjoyed this. Sure there are plot-holes, but I usually prefer to enjoy a movie than hate it and if you let yourself be swept away by it this movie will leave you smiling and feeling good and isn't that what a good romantic dramedy is supposed to do? So, if you get hung up on the shade of the lead actors hair or why he decided to go to San Francisco instead of relying on the local vet you, for sure , will not enjoy this. On the other hand, if you decide to enjoy it ,this movie will make you laugh, cry and feel good and ready to die with a smile on your face too. I gave it ten because that's as high as the scale goes.

Yesterday was very wet, took off to the Abbeygate Cinema in Bury St Edmunds to watch this wonderful movie. Have always admired Brian Cox, this movie is probably his very best performance, with a great script, direction, photography and supporting cast. I urge you to watch it, you will certainly not be disappointed!

My Dad put this on, one of his specials from the TV Guide. I hadn't read up about it beforehand as I usually do with most films, this time I just sat back and enjoyed the story. The development of the characters was gentle and the story line had me appreciating the time I have with my own father. The relationship between Rory, Ian and Jamie was emotional and it choked me up on several occasions, however Rory's character had me in laughter throughout with his hard witty Scottish humour. The film is beautifully shot throughout with breathtaking views of the Hebrides. Definitely a film worth watching.

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.

Beautifully Told Story. Nice Score and Enjoyed all the Cool Shooting Locations. Brian Cox is Feisty as Rory MacNeil !!! My only question ?, since his character is from Scotland what has that Got to do with Ancient Etruscan Italy ? Doubt many will Google it. Family Drama with plenty of humor sprinkled in there 😁 Check out the Trailer and Memorable Cast UpDate: Watched a Q and A with the Cast, book adapted to Scotland setting by Producers

***Spoilers!*** Although it makes no sense for a Scotsman living on a remote island to travel to the US for (very expensive) health care when he could hop on a boat to Glasgow or, if necessary, London, I tried to overlook that and enjoy the story. And enjoy it I did, although the appallingly misguided parenting choices of Thora Birch's character so annoyed me I almost packed it in after the first 15 minutes or so. Anyone who willingly leaves a baby to cry endlessly doesn't deserve to have kids and I don't want to watch a film about such people. With that out of the way, I have to say, also, I've never liked Brian Cox much, but he is wonderful here as a grumpy, tell-it-like-I-see-it Scotsman, very much a fish out of water (in more ways than one), in sophisticated San Francisco. Another thing that kept bugging me is why would this old guy fresh from his wee cottage in Scotland have dyed hair? Brian Cox may have dyed hair, but it's impossible to believe that his curmudgeonly character, Rory, would. Plus, it kept changing colour throughout the film. Weird. Rory's growing relationship with his baby grandson was a precious thing to see, and I hope all those dimwitted parents who think it's a good idea to ignore a crying baby get the message that it is only okay if your intention is to teach your baby what it's like to feel unloved and abandoned. If you love someone, tell them. Support your children to live THEIR dreams, not yours. Nobody is on this Earth to live up to YOUR expectations (except maybe YOU). If you love someone, tell them. There are lessons to be learned in this film, along with the charm and the smiles and the teary eyes. Very much worth watching, I say.

A lovely story with great actors. Nothing strange or crazy in this movie just a nice story. The only flaw is Rory travelling to the US to get treatment which would cost quite a bit were he could treatment free on the NHS. Just a nitpick. Definitely worth a watch for the comedy and scenery. Recommended.