ALLAN HUNTER at the Movies

EVERYBODY loves the chance to cheer the underdog especially when the underdog in question is something of a local hero.

Scotsman Graeme Obree was world cycling champion in 1993 and 1995, a remarkable achievement for a man who was wasn’t just chasing records, but was also battling personal demons.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ is a carefully balanced biography of Obree that boasts a fine performance from Jonny Lee Miller and some beautiful Scottish scenery.

Obree’s fame rests on his attainment of the world one-hour cycling record on a bike that he had constructed himself from scrap metal and a washing machine. Jonny Lee Miller portrays him as a modest man; a loner suspicious of all authority and stubbornly determined to do things his way.

The film begins with a dejected Obree heading into the woods, intent on taking his own life. Flashbacks deftly sketch a childhood scarred by bullying. The speed he achieved on a bike was initially a way of escaping his tormentors.

We then follow his struggle to achieve sporting eminence, assisted by his manager Malky (Billy Boyd), and supported by the kindly Douglas Baxter (Brian Cox) a local man of the cloth who understands Obree’s black moods and depressions only too well.

No matter how successful Obree becomes, he still cannot find the peace that might result from overcoming the sense of worthlessness that had blighted his adult years.

Told with a cinematic sweep and an admirable restraint, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ has a sincerity that becomes very engaging. Skye-born director Douglas Mackinnon has created a moving tale even if it does feel overly simplistic when it comes to exploring Obree’s darker moments.

Nationwide release

Director: Douglas Mackinnon
Stars: Jonny Lee Miller, Laura Fraser, Billy Boyd, Brian Cox, Morven Christie, Steven Berkoff
Screenwriters: John Brown, Simon Rose, Declan Hughes
Certificate: 15
Running time: 102 mins
Country: UK
Year: 2006

© Allan Hunter, 2007