Sunshine on Leith (film)

Sunshine on Leith

Film poster
Directed by Dexter Fletcher
Produced by Black Camel Pictures
Written by Stephen Greenhorn
Starring Peter Mullan
Jane Horrocks
George MacKay
Antonia Thomas
Freya Mavor
Music by Paul Englishby
Craig Reid
Charlie Reid
Cinematography George Richmond
Production
company
Distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
Release dates
  • 9 September 2013 (TIFF)
  • 4 October 2013 (UK)
Running time
 100 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Box office £4.1 million [1]

Sunshine on Leith is a 2013 British musical film directed by Dexter Fletcher. It is an adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, a jukebox musical featuring songs by The Proclaimers.[2] It was screened in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[2][3]

The songs, arranged by musical director Paul Englishby,[4] are performed by the cast. The Proclaimers themselves appear in a brief cameo.[5]

Plot

The film starts in Afghanistan where an APC is on patrol while the passengers, are nervous as to whether they will still be alive ("Sky Takes the Soul"), before an ambush happens. Some time later Davy and Ally, two recently discharged British Army servicemen, return to their homes and families in Edinburgh after a tour in Afghanistan ("I'm on my Way"). Ally returns to his girlfriend Liz, a nurse who is Davy's sister. On Davy and Ally's first night home Liz introduces Davy to her English friend and colleague Yvonne at a pub, where Liz and Yvonne take part in some drunken story telling, a Scottish tradition ("Over and Done With"). Following from their blind date Davy and Yvonne strike up a romantic relationship ("Misty Blue") as Ally and Liz consider their future as a potential married couple ("Make my Heart Fly").

Ally explains to Davy that he intends to propose to Liz during the 25th wedding anniversary party for Davy's parents Rab and Jean ("Let's Get Married"). Shortly before the celebration, Rab receives a letter from, and later meets, a daughter he didn't know he had; the product of an affair early in his marriage (the mother of this affair had passed away and Rab secretly attended the funeral). At the anniversary party Rab serenades Jean ("Oh Jean"). Ally then proposes to Liz, who turns him down. Jean discovers the letter, and is outraged at Rab's infidelity. After a fight develops, Yvonne is horrified at Davy's aggression.

Shortly afterwards, Rab suffers a heart attack and is admitted to hospital. During this time Jean feels guilty and blames herself for the deconstruction of her family but her colleagues at the National Art Gallery reassure her that none of these events were her fault ("Should have been Loved"). Rab recovers, and Rab and Jean reconcile ("Sunshine on Leith"), as do Yvonne and Davy ("Then I Met You"). Liz and Ally's relationship appears to dissolve. Ally re-enlists, while Liz accepts an offer of a job in Florida ("Letter from America").

After an argument with Davy, Yvonne prepares to leave Edinburgh. However, before she can reach Waverley railway station, Davy catches her and declares his commitment to her in Princes Street Gardens where they reconcile for a second time ("I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)").

Cast

Reception

The film had grossed US$8,780,874 million in its run as of 17 September 2014.[1] On its first week it debuted at number three on the UK box office with £770,000.[6] The following week it rose to number two with a weekly take of £732,296.[7]

The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews and currently holds a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[8]

Writing a four star review in The Observer, Mark Kermode said "I shed a tear within the first 10 minutes, and spent the rest of the movie beaming like a gibbering, love-struck fool".[9] Tara Brand writing in The Irish Times likened it to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg[10] and Cath Clarke writing in Time Out described it as "a wet, sloppy dog-kiss of a film".[11]

Songs

The film features 14 Proclaimers songs:

  1. Sky Takes the Soul
  2. I'm on My Way
  3. Over and Done With
  4. Misty Blue
  5. Make My Heart Fly
  6. Let's Get Married
  7. Life With You
  8. Oh Jean
  9. Hate My Love
  10. Then I Met You
  11. Should Have Been Loved
  12. Sunshine on Leith
  13. Letter from America
  14. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Sunshine on Leith". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Sunshine on Leith Special Presentation". tiff.net. Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Toronto Adds 75+ Titles To 2013 Edition". Indiewire. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  4. ↑ Morgan, Emma (3 October 2013). "Sunshine On Leith". Total Film. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Brocklehurst, Steven (2 October 2013). "McMamma Mia: Proclaimers follow in Abba's musical footsteps". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Prisoners locks up top spot again as UK's appetite for change diminishes". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Third time lucky for Prisoners, and UK box office has its worst weekend of 2013". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "Sunshne on Leith — Rotten Tomatoes". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Sunshine on Leith; Filth – review". The Observer. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Sunshine on Leith — Movie news". Irish Times. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Sunshine on Leith (PG)". Time Out. Retrieved 2 February 2014.

External links