Alright Folks,
During the Easter holidays, I caught ‘Gregory’s Girls’ as part of STV at the Movies weekend schedule. Directed by Bill Forsyth, it tells the sweet and light hearted tale set in 1980's Glasgow and the adventures of Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) a gawky teen ‘fitba’ striker with as little luck with the girls as he has in front of goal. In fact, his coach (Jake D'Arcy) is so disappointed in Gregory's form that he moves him into goal and holds an open training session to find his replacement. To Gregory's delight and surprise, his replacement is the beautiful girl Dorothy (Dee Hepburn) and Gordon falls instantly in love. Can Gregory score on and off the field or will someone else become Gregory's girl?
John Gordon Sinclair as Gregory is really funny and very likeable guy who falls haplessly in love. Dee Hepburn as Dorothy is the eye-catching love interest and Claire Grogan plays the sweet and gentle Susan, who ultimately becomes Gregory’s Girl as the fast and slightly predictable ending, which sees Gregory left standing at the clock tower waiting for Dorothy who doesn’t turn up, as Gregory leaves with Susan whom walk each other home hand in hand. The supporting performance by Robert Buchanan as Gregory's best friend Andy, almost steal the show, especially with quotes like the classic line:
"Nine losses in a row and what do they do? Sack the goalie and put girl on the forward line!”
The screenplay is very smart and very sympathizing with Gregory’s character. The script plays a lot on his awkward personality and pays off very well. The film has a strong balance of knowing and naivety in most of the characters. This is a very sensitive movie that treats the teenagers very respectfully and allows for the sweetness of young love and avoids the seriousness through its sensitivity and serves each comedic moment up in the most warm way it can be. It's very natural and it captures best the way adolescence really is. Also, I think it could have been a little inspiration in Napoleon Dynamite, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. The film is good natured and worth watching for the Glaswegian banter.
Cheers
