Orphans, Young Adam, and Other Scottish Films

The Many Faces of Peter Mullan Surrounded by His Scottish Colleagues

Apr 4, 2009 Andrea Beca

A survey of five essential Scottish films, complete with cast information and mini synopses.

If you’ve already watched Red Road and Other Scottish Films, fear not: you haven’t exhausted your resources. Scotland is a country with a rich supply of beautifully written and executed films. Here’s a look at five more essential movies from Scotland.

5. 16 Years of Alcohol (2003) (Starring Kevin McKidd, Laura Fraser, and Ewen Bremmer; Written and Directed by Richard Jobson)

Often described as Trainspotting meets A Clockwork Orange, 16 Years of Alcohol – a debut film from writer/director Richard Jobson – follows the life of Frankie. After meeting a new girl, Helen, whom he really cares for (one of the only bright spots in his dark and disturbed life), Frankie decides to try to break his lifelong cycle of alcoholism and violence. Escaping from his past, however, proves to be more difficult than simply making a promise to do so.

4. My Name is Joe (1998) (Starring Peter Mullan and Louise Goodall; Written by Paul Laverty and Directed by Ken Loach)

My Name is Joe is a heartfelt story of an odd love match in working class Glasgow. Joe, a recovering alcoholic, falls in love with Sarah, a social worker, after a chance encounter, but their very different economic situations throw a wrench in the gears. To further complicate their relationship, Sarah is the social worker in charge of Joe’s nephew, Liam, a heroin addict whose habit and social circle has led him down a very dangerous path.

3. Young Adam (2003) (Starring Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Peter Mullan, and Emily Mortimer; Written and Directed by David MacKenzie)

Based on the novel by Scottish Beat writer Alexander Trocchi, Young Adam is the story of Joe, a drifter who finds a job on a barge that travels between Glasgow and Edinburgh, which is run by a husband and wife team. Not long after he starts working, Joe and his employers discover the body of a woman in the water. But Joe seems to know more about her than he is letting on – his past slowly unfolds as the movie goes on.

2. Breaking the Waves (1996) (Starring Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard, and Katrin Cartlidge; Written and Directed by Lars Von Trier)

Although not actually from Scotland, Breaking the Waves is an amazing film set in Scotland, and it embodies a very specific region, both socially and geographically. In Breaking the Waves, Bess McNeil falls in love with Scandinavian oilrig worker, Jan. But Bess isn’t like other girls – she has a special relationship with God, and when she wishes for Jan to “come home for good,” not even she can anticipate just how strongly her wish will be granted. Unfortunately, Bess and Jan’s marriage does not blossom as it should; instead he is bed-ridden (and frustrated) in an isolated village in the Scottish Highlands. (Full review here.)

1. Orphans (1997) (Starring Douglas Henshall, Gary Lewis, Rosemarie Stevenson, and Stephen McCole; Written and Directed by Peter Mullan)

In Orphans, four siblings – three brothers and a sister – are brought together for their mother’s funeral, but before any of them can make it to the church, they are each taken on a separate nightlong adventure. From Michael, who has been stabbed and is slowly bleeding to death, to Thomas, who hears of his brother’s stabbing and sets out to avenge the crime with his cousin, the siblings all prove that family comes before everything else in this brilliantly written and darkly heart-warming film. (Full review here.)

The copyright of the article Orphans, Young Adam, and Other Scottish Films in Foreign Films is owned by Andrea Beca. Permission to republish Orphans, Young Adam, and Other Scottish Films in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Peter Mullan's Orphans	Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves	Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe
Kevin McKidd stars in 16 Years of Alcohol	Ewan McGregor and Emily Mortimer in Young Adam