The Flying Scotsman

The Flying Scotsman

THE FLYING SCOTSMAN follows the standard blueprint for a sports film: underdog overcomes obstacles to become a champion--but adds the element of the hero's real-life mental illness to make an engaging drama. Jonny Lee Miller (TRAINSPOTTING) plays Graeme Obree, a Scottish cyclist who is seemingly past his prime. He has gone from winning races to running a losing bike shop, but he can't be called a quitter. When he learns his old rival will race for a record, Graeme decides to get back in the game. His wife (Laura Fraser, A KNIGHT'S TALE), a fellow avid cyclist (Billy Boyd, THE LORD OF THE RINGS - THE RETURN OF THE KING), and a friend (Brian Cox, RUNNING WITH SCISSORS) all join him in his quest. Though his opponent's bike boasts £250,000 in engineering, Graeme builds his from scratch, even dismantling a washing machine to make the perfect bike. In addition to his lack of a designer cycle, Graeme also struggles with a mental illness that makes it difficult for him to get out of bed, much less try for a world record. But despite his troubles, Graeme is stubborn and driven, and Miller ably captures the zeal of the real-life athlete. Cox may be best known as a villain in films such as X-MEN 2, but it's fascinating to see him play such a sympathetic character here. For those who love sports movies (or even just dramas in general), THE FLYING SCOTSMAN begs comparison to CHARIOTS OF FIRE. For most people, cycling doesn't hold the thrill of the typical spectator sports, and one might assume that extends to the movie as well. But thanks to its strong characters and the novelty of a film about cycling, THE FLYING SCOTSMAN deserves a look. The mental illness aspect of the plot adds an interesting element to what would've been a standard film.