Good-hearted Glaswegians

The excellent Peter Mullan stars in this simple tale of a Glaswegian shipbuilder who is suddenly made redundant.

He becomes impossible to live with, but manages to win over his family by swimming the Channel at the age of 55.

The acting and filming are generally good; Gaby Dellal, a firsttime director, clearly knows what she's doing. But it is Mullan's performance that stands out.

He succeeds in making a one-dimensional character seem convincing. Brenda Blethyn, in an underwritten part as his wife, also does well, considering.

While it is good-hearted, this view of the Glasgow working class doesn't have the spark that someone such as Ken Loach would give it and it is just too redolent of The Full Monty for comfort.

On A Clear Day
Cert: cert12A