Synopsis
After decades of laboring as a Glasgow shipbuilder, Frank Redmond, a no-nonsense 55-year-old working-class man, suddenly finds himself laid off. For the first time in his life, he is without a job or a sense of direction, and he's too proud to ask for guidance. His best mates - rascally Danny, timid Norman and cynical Eddie - are there for him, but Frank still feels desperately alone. An offhand remark from Danny inspires Frank to challenge himself. Already contemplating the state of his relationships with loving wife Joan and all-but-estranged son Rob, Frank is determined to shore up his own self-confidence. He will attempt the near impossible - swimming the English Channel.
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Cast
- Peter MullanFrank
- Brenda BlethynJoan
- Sean McGinleyEddie
- Jamie SivesRob
- Billy BoydDanny
- Ron CookNorman
- Jodhi MayAngela
- Benedict WongChan
- Shaun DingwallObserver
- Paul RitterMad Bob
Recommendations
- 80
Film Threat
A rich drama that gradually evolves into a feel-good story. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
The kind of drama that British television used to do so well, a well-constructed, smartly observed story of ordinary people learning how to communicate with one another. - 75
TV Guide Magazine
Dellal and their cast consistently hit the right notes, and the result is an uplifting tale that you don't have to be embarrassed to enjoy. - 70
Variety
By turns whimsically humorous and intelligently sentimental, but also infused with a pungent air of working-class realism. - 70
The New York Times
Despite a familiar crop of lovable eccentrics and a predictably inspirational thrust, the movie resists formula just enough to achieve a surprising degree of emotional traction. - 70
Wall Street Journal
When a feelgood formula is fleshed out artfully, going along with it can feel very good indeed. - 67
The A.V. Club
Against all reason, this workingman's journey across the sea winds up seeming every bit as inspirational as the filmmakers intended, entirely because Mullan's grit validates every cornpone emotion. With a lesser actor, the movie would sink like a stone. - 58
Entertainment Weekly
Scottish actor Peter Mullan saves a drama tangled in the seaweed of life lessons from drowning in pathos.
