Dominic Corry: The musical that made me change my tune

Dominic Corry doesn't like musicals much, but he was pleasantly surprised by Sunshine on Leith.

I'm on the record about my general ambivalence towards musicals. Despite there being plenty of exceptions to this grinch-like stance (The Blues Brothers, Grease, Once), I still struggle to muster any enthusiasm for upcoming musicals.

Which is why I was not anticipating anything special when I rocked up yesterday to a public screening of the new film, Sunshine on Leith.

The Scottish film made a minor splash in the UK late last year, but wasn't on my radar in terms of being something to get worked up about. But worked up is exactly what I got while watching it. I can't remember the last time a film was so effectively rousing.

So I'm writing this blog specifically to encourage you to see Sunshine on Leith. Many people of course won't require encouragement, being more open-minded than this humble critic, but too many film-goers these days recoil at the prospect of a musical. If there was ever a film that deserves to be spared such prejudices, it's Sunshine on Leith.

Like Mamma Mia and Rock of Ages, this is a film adaptation of a stage "jukebox" musical i.e. a musical which weaves a new narrative through familiar songs performed by the cast.

However, the source of the music in Sunshine on Leith is a touch less likely than in those two movies (Abba and 80s hair metal, respectively); all the songs here are by The Proclaimers, the Scottish twins whose global smash hit I'm Gonna Be (500 miles), is one of pop music's most enduring ear worms.

I'm ashamed to admit I sniggered a little when I first heard that Sunshine on Leith was based around Proclaimers songs. To my uninformed mind, it seemed like pretty thin inspiration for movie.

Again, I was very wrong.

The music and the drama fit together amazingly well here. It may have benefited from my not being overly familiar with The Proclaimers' back catalogue, but not a bum note was hit. The declarative nature of their songs makes them perfect fodder for a musical. The songs' emotive undulations are particularly well-suited to this appealing tale.

The plot follows two young soldiers who return to Scotland (Leith is a port in Edinburgh, the film shares its title with The Proclaimers' 1988 album) after a tour in the Middle East. As they both try to work out what to do with their lives, various domestic and romantic problems arise.

The film is not hugely stylised, so the singing parts could easily have jarred with the rest of the film. But it all flows beautifully. The fresh-faced cast are uniformly excellent, especially Freya Mavor, for whom a brilliant career surely awaits. Veteran actors Peter Mullan (Braveheart, Top of the Lake) and Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous, Little Voice) also appear, and are in fine form.

The film was directed by Dexter Fletcher, an English actor (Bugsy Malone, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) turned director (Wild Bill) who does an extremely admirable job of making Sunshine on Leith flow as well as it does. On paper, this film shouldn't work. In execution, it works better than most.

It's no surprise that Fletcher was hired on the strength of this film to helm the upcoming Freddie Mercury - he demonstrates a natural ability for corralling music and drama here. Bummer he has since left the project.

Sunshine On Leith deserves a higher profile than it is currently enjoying in this country. Watching it was one of the most uplifting film-going experiences I've ever had, and I'm not ashamed to admit it brought a tear (of joy!) to my eye on more than one occasion.

It also really made me want to go to Scotland. Do yourself a favour and check it oot.

* Are you gonna see Sunshine on Leith? When was the last time you thought about The Proclaimers? Comment below!