What We Did on Our Holiday

What We Did on Our Holiday
Movie poster
Directed by	Andy Hamilton Guy Jenkin
Produced by	Norman Merry Suzanne Reid Ed Rubin David M. Thompson Dan Winch
Written by	Andy Hamilton Guy Jenkin
Starring	David Tennant Rosamund Pike Billy Connolly
Music by	Alex Heffes
Cinematography	Martin Hawkins
Edited by	Steve Tempia Mark Williams
Production company	BBC Films
Release dates	26 September 2014 (2014-09-26)
Running time	95 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

What We Did on Our Holiday^[2] is a BBC comedy film starring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Connolly inspired^[3] but not related to the BBC show Outnumbered. It was filmed on location in Glasgow and the Scottish Highlands between 27 June and 2 August 2013.^[4]

The film was released in the UK on 26 September 2014.^[5]

Plot

Doug McLeod (David Tennant) and his wife Abi (Rosamund Pike) unite following a tense separation to travel to the Scottish Highlands for Doug's father Gordie's (Billy Connolly) birthday. Gordie has terminal cancer so Doug's brother, millionaire Gavin McLeod (Ben Miller) has arranged a lavish party for him, inviting all the important people in the neighbourhood. Despite difficulties getting their three children, Lottie (Emilia Jones), Mickey (Bobby Smalldridge) and Jess (Harriet Turnbull), to leave the house, they hit the road, but find it congested and they are forced to stop overnight. Lottie expresses her troubles with trusting her parents following their recent separation and lies to each other; it is revealed that Doug had an affair, which led to Abi moving out and taking legal proceedings against him. They are only travelling to the Highlands together to appear as a couple for Gordie, not wanting to upset him in his final months.

On arriving at Gavin's mansion, a tense rivalry becomes apparent between Doug and Gavin, while Gordie, despite being extremely ill, is fun-loving and encourages the children, particularly Lottie, to let go of their troubles and enjoy life. While Gavin, Doug, Abi and Gavin's wife Margaret (Amelia Bullmore) make the final arrangements for the party, Gordie takes the three children to the beach. He reveals that he is descended from Vikings, a fact that Mickey in particular is excited about; he reveals his desire to be buried 'the Viking way' by being cremated and sent out to sea. He believes this will stop arguments between Doug and Gavin. Later, while Lottie, Mickey and Jess are playing, Gordie dies. Left without a working phone, Lottie runs back to the house to tell the adults, leaving her siblings with Gordie's body. However, when she sees them all arguing, Doug with Abi about her plans to move to Newcastle with the children, and Gavin with his family over what Gordie wants for his birthday, she returns without telling them. Fulfilling Gordie's last wish, the three children create a raft, and, using petrol from Gordie's pickup, send him out to sea aflame.

They return home, and tell a horrified Doug and Abi what has happened. Doug and Gavin head to the beach, where they spot the raft aflame far out to sea; Gavin breaks down in Doug's arms. Abi and Margaret break the news to the party guests, and word quickly gets out about what the children did. The police arrive to investigate, accompanied by social services worker Agnes Chisholm (Celia Imrie), who interviews the children on their actions, contemplating removing them from Doug and Abi's care. The press descend on the house, with Lottie, Jess and Mickey's actions making headlines worldwide. While using Gavin and Margaret's son Kenneth's (Lewis Davie) computer, Mickey and Jess accidentally stumble upon a video of Margaret attacking a fellow shopper at a supermarket as a result of depression. Gavin also sees it, having been previously unaware of his wife's issues. After the press paints the children's actions as depraved, Doug and Abi make a statement to the press that what their children did was not malicious, and that they are both competent parents; seeing the support the children receive, Chisholm ends her investigation.

In the final scene, Gavin and Doug hold a memorial for Gordie at the beach, where the brothers are shown to have buried the hatchet. Abi also reveals she will not be moving to Newcastle, and the couple decide to work out their problems humanely, apologising to their children. The film ends with the family playing on the beach.

Cast

• David Tennant as Doug McLeod
• Rosamund Pike as Abi McLeod
• Billy Connolly as Gordie McLeod
• Celia Imrie as Agnes Chisholm
• Ben Miller as Gavin McLeod
• Emilia Jones as Lottie McLeod
• Amelia Bullmore as Margaret McLeod
• Annette Crosbie as Doreen
• Lewis Davie as Kenneth McLeod
• Ben Presley as PC McLuhan
• Jake D'Arcy
• Bobby Smalldridge as Mickey McLeod
• Alexia Barlier as Françoise Dupré
• Ryan Hunter as Frazer

References

External links

• What We Did On Our Holiday (BBC Films)
• What We Did on Our Holiday at the Internet Movie Database
• What We Did on Our Holiday at Rotten Tomatoes