What We Did On Our Holiday. Written and directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. Starring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike and Billy Connolly. Rating: 8 (out of 10)
The feelgood movie of the summer may well be this disarmingly charming little film about truths and lies, and how silly it all looks from a child's vantage point.
Abi and Doug (Rosamund Pike and David Tennant) set off on a road trip to Scotland to visit Doug's dad (Billy Connolly), who is reluctantly celebrating his 75th birthday in grand style. It will likely be his last: Gordie has the big C and the medication is wreaking havoc on his heart. An ignoble end for a man who spent his 30th birthday in Rhodesia and played pro soccer for Partick Thistle.
Accompanying their parents are three children: Lottie (Emilia Jones), who brings along an anxiety journal; Mickey (Bobby Smalldridge), armed with a viking sword; and Jess (Harriet Turnbull), who carries with her an enormous brick called Norman. The forever-bickering couple make their three kids swear not to mention the fact that mummy and daddy live in separate houses: they need to keep up appearances in case granddad's ticker gives way.
England's motorway gridlock is replaced by bucolic Highland vistas, and the dysfunctional McLeod family arrives at Doug's brother's house (Ben Miller), awash in uptight party preparations. A fresh round of bickering begins, sibling style, and the kids wisely steal away with their grandfather, who has better things to do with his remaining time.
There's nothing particularly new here. Both the old and the young have things to teach the rest of us about how to live life.
