Sunshine on Leith

2013

Action / Comedy / Drama / Musical / Romance

11
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 90% · 42 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 71% · 2.5K ratings
IMDb Rating 6.6/10 10 7579 7.6K

edinburgh, scotland musical

Plot summary

Davy and Ally have to re-learn how to live life in Edinburgh after coming home from serving in Afghanistan. Both struggle to learn to live a life outside the army and to deal with the everyday struggles of family, jobs and relationships. Sunshine on Leith is based on the sensational stage hit of the same name, featuring music by pop-folk band The Proclaimers.

Director

Dexter Fletcher Photo
Dexter Fletcher

Top cast

Dexter Fletcher Photo
Dexter Fletcher as Drunk Outside Pub
Jason Flemyng Photo
Jason Flemyng as Harry
Jane Horrocks Photo
Jane Horrocks as Jean
Antonia Thomas Photo
Antonia Thomas as Yvonne
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
849.47 MB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 1
1.6 GB
1920*800
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 40 min
Seeds 6

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Lejink 6 / 10

Tartan tunefest

Although I'm a Scot, I'm not a particular fan of the Proclaimers on whose songs this film musical is based. That said it's impossible to be Scottish and unaware of their music - there was even recent talk of their biggest hit "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" being the new national anthem. I'd describe their music as simple, tuneful and colloquial, unashamed of either the Scottish vernacular or Scottish accent in putting across a song.This filmed version of the surprise hit stage musical makes good use of the Edinburgh and Leith locations and also employs a largely local cast to help give the story the required local flavour. The biggest names in the cast are Peter Mullen and Jane Horrocks as the silver anniversary-celebrating parents with the latter, who we remember from "Little Voice" not unsurprisingly carrying off a tune better. The rest of the young cast however also display good singing ability and inject enthusiasm and energy into their parts.The story is relatively straightforward, with a Scottish "On The Town" tilt to it as two young Scottish soldiers return from a tour of Afghanistan to pick up the pieces of their lives in their home town, with romance unsurprisingly in the air as you'd expect in an upbeat singalong musical like this, with an extra twist as one of their parents' apparently rock solid marriage hits a crisis just as they run up to a major anniversary.All three central relationships in the film work themselves out as best they can, helped along every ten minutes or so by another Reid Brothers song (watch out for their own brief cameo early in the film) and they even manage to work their best song, in my opinion "Letter From America" a song about the Highland Clearances into the narrative.All in all, I found the movie a pleasant surprise, even the songs I didn't know made a good impression plus I enjoyed the familiar (to me) locations of Auld Reekie. I perhaps wouldn't walk 500 miles to see it but it filled an enjoyable enough 100 minutes of my Friday night I will say.
Reviewed by hmgrieve 8 / 10

Fun, even if you can see the end from 500 miles!

Saw this at a preview. The first couple of scenes were great, even though only my husband and I apparently saw the Proclaimers coming out of the pub when the lads are dancing their way back home ( we were the only ones who laughed, so the others obviously didn't realise that the lads' physique has changed since their skinny years!)

A warning to anyone who cried through "Slipping through my Fingers" in Mamma Mia. "Sunshine on Leith" - get the tissues handy! I was desperately trying not to sob out loud....

All in all, it was very enjoyable, though I wish Jason Flemyng's role had been bigger. Can't wait to see him on "Strictly"! Sure it sounded like he'd split his trousers!

There were a few wobbly voices, especially Peter Mullan's, but all in all, the cast acquitted themselves perfectly adequately. Jane Horrocks was superb, as always, and my husband ( a Scot) commended her on her accent.

One last thing. Why wasn't I invited to the flash mob?! Dexter, next time, send me an e-mail....

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