On a Clear Day (2006)

On a Clear Day is directed by Gaby Dellal and written by Alex Rose. It stars Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Jamie Sives, Benedict Wong, Billy Boyd, Sean McGinley, Ron Cook and Jodhi May. Music is scored by Stephen Warbeck and photography by David Johnson. Locations used for the shoot were Glasgow, Isle of Man and Dover.Emotionally shot after being made redundant from his employment at the ship yard, Frank (Mullan) searches desperately for some semblance of hope in his life. Then one day he finds a challenge, a test of endurance to maybe exorcise the demons that haunt his family: Frank aims to swim the English Channel.Following in the wake of great British comedy/dramas such as Billy Elliot, The Full Monty and Brassed Off, On a Clear Day is a perky, yet tender, human interest story. Story may follow a familiar course as regards a protagonist striving against odds for some sort of meaning, redemption, but it's how this particular protagonists actions affect those around him that opens this up as a more fulfilling story. Frank, his wife Joan (Blethyn) and son Rob (Sives) have had a terrible event in their lives, thus the relationship between father and son is desperately strained. Into the mix comes Frank's recent unemployment and the family is in danger of complete implosion, especially Frank who is extremely low on self esteem.Then there are the friends in Frank's life, Eddie (McGinley), Danny (Boyd) and Norman (Cook), and a potential friendship in the making with Chinese Take Away owner Chan (Wong). All men low on confidence, all about to become involved in Frank's goal, his attempt to swim the channel becoming a beacon of hope for all of them. It's this collective feeling of the underdog against life's troubles that gives the film its heart beat; if the film is a heart warmer? Then you will have to watch to find out. It's also very funny, even if much of the comedy is very "laddish", with character names such as Merv the Perv and Mad Bob, it's evident that some of the humour is colourful. While it should be noted that the Scottish accents are likely to be a problem for non residents of the UK and Ireland.Smoothly directed by Dellal and impeccably acted by the cast, this is very much a winner across the board. A film fit to sit alongside those British films mentioned earlier. 8/10

This was a fantastic film from start to finish. I was a little sceptical about this film when I first read the byline but once I started to watch it I was enthralled to the very end. A film very much in the vein of The Full Month only with less stripping, less swearing and a slightly better storyline. You actually feel Franks pain as he swims the channel and you find yourself willing him on with every breath. A must see and definitely a 10 out of 10. The music fits the film well but is not too overbearing as seems the norm now in so many 'hollywood blockbusters'. The views of Scotland, the choice of locations, the supporting actors, the old pool where Frank practices all add to the enjoyment. So also does his relationship with Chan from the chippie who no one seems to know talks apart from the two words 'fish' and 'chips'. Watch out for the child with what I assume is Cerebral Palsy as he battles his own inner demon as he swims two widths of the pool, a stirring performance and one that deserves credit. The final locations of the cliffs somewhere near Dover, the boat in the channel and the beach in France bring a fantastic end to a fantastic film.

i saw this 4 times! it's about how a Scottish man lost his job after 30 years. and he swims the English Channel. Mr. Billy Boyd who played Pippin in The Lord of the Rings play a touching role as one of the man Frank mate Billy plays Danny. I believe this should be made available on DVD n America. and would like to be informed when it is. Love this movie.Frank goes to the library to look up on how to swim the channel. He meet a man there named Chan and then his other friends join him and together they start to help Frank to train. once he and Danny go in the water to train and Danny gets a cramp and almost drowns. Frank saves him. and Danny ends up in the hospital.Where his mother said, that he could help Frank train but whenever he is with Frank must wear a life jacket. he is a very touching scene.

I saw this film last night. It's the story of a family who has been suffering for 23 years since the tragic death of a 7-year-old son (brother). There is wonderful chemistry between Frank Redmond (Peter Mullan) and his adult son Rob (James Sives), and the undercurrent, so to speak, between them is relayed to the viewer beautifully. To me the most poignant scene in the movie was where these two characters meet on a bridge, walking in opposite directions. Frank asks his son if he has time for a cup of coffee, and Rob says he does not, and they continue past each other. We then see his son sitting in a café alone drinking a cup of coffee. It's such a subtle exchange, but it portrays perfectly the depth of their ambivalence toward each other. They simply can't think of anything to say, good or bad.Billy Boyd's character seems written just for him, and the scene with his mother is great. Brenda Blethen as always is fabulous, as the doting, "glue-that-holds-the-family-together" mom with a secret that shows she's not the doormat you may imagine.This movie is about relationships, what tears them down and what finally fixes them, and as such there is almost bound to be a slow spot or two, just like there are in real relationships. I'm not sure what could have been done to fix this - all the scenes were necessary, with the exception of the puking scene, which I always dislike and find utterly expendable.Overall it was a good film, and there's the bonus of getting to see a lot of Peter Mullan, not in the acting sense, just in the "seeing a lot of him" sense, which isn't a bad thing. :o)