Marlburian
I've been a keen follower of cycling for 50 years and of course these included the Obree era, so I have some recollection of the actual events.This film seemed a reasonably accurate portrayal, allowing for the need to be discreet about some of the supporting characters, not least the "WCF" officials. I'll need to read Obree's own book to find out about the people in his camp.At the time of his racing successes, nothing was known of his problems with depression, though Obree became refreshingly frank about these later on.A viewer with no knowledge of the sport might be forgiven for assuming that the film started with Obree as a very ordinary rider who came from obscurity to beating the world. In fact he was a very accomplished racer on the British scene and, as he briefly mentions, had gone head-to-head with Chris Boardman before the film started.I did wonder about the scenes showing Obree riding along with a rucksack on his back - something very few experienced cyclists do. And I've a feeling that the "Superman" bars gave an even more extended riding position than that shown towards the end of the film - perhaps it was too extended for an actor to handle.Overall, an enjoyable film.
laureldf-1
Genuinely loved the movie, and I'll let those who know more about Graeme and cycling comment on those aspects.Understand that Jonny Lee Miller is well regarded in Scotland for a really good Scots accent. But on the other side of the pond, us 'muricans catch only every third or fourth word. Strongly suggest you turn on the closed captioning right from the beginning and save yourself a lot of frustration and wear on your DVD player. Otherwise you'll be backing up a lot for "what'd he say?" You can always turn captioning off when you watch the second time. And you will want to see it again. It's that good.
paul2001sw-1
The story of Graeme Obree, an essentially amateur cyclist who competed with the best, is quite remarkable, but that's not to say it makes for a great film. The narrative arc of this movie is dreadfully predictable, and attempts to make play from Obree's struggles with depression are limited by the cartoonish way in which the officials with whom he was often in conflict are depicted. Perhaps the real problem is that Obree is the sort of hero who fits the Scottish self-image too well, the plucky underdog (celebrated in the unimaginative title of this movie) is just too comfortable a figure (in terms of how he fits with how the Scots would like to see themselves); there's no 'Trainspotting'-style iconoclasm here. Maybe it would have been better to make a documentary; the details of how Obree fashioned a competitive bike with his own hands (and to his own, revolutionary design) are fascinating - but not the stuff the fiction, and told as a drama, the result is a little dull.
Graham Muir
Having read the book several years ago, and recalled the achievements of Graeme Obree back in the early nineties, I knew that this film would at least be inspiring. In some ways, this film reminded me of the last Scottish athlete to be given the nickname 'The Flying Scotsman', the great Eric Liddle. Both were criticised for their unorthodox styles, even though it gained them great success and honour. Both men, also engendered wide criticism, although for different reasons. The film is honest and direct, as it deals with issues like bullying and depression, which are suffered by so many. Like Obree, many people try to deal with such problems on their own. Jonny Lee Miller does well to portray the agony and ecstasy of professional competition. Laura Fraser(Ann Obree) plays his supportive wife, serenely, but with an underlying earthiness. His friend and manager Malky(Billy Boyd) follows his highs and lows. Douglas Baxter plays the wise local parish minister, Brian Cox, who offers his workshop and scrap metal, along with much needed moral support. Cox is almost a second father figure to young Obree. With the addition of the obvious high drama of the competitions, this film is superb.
AD
