On a Clear Day Review

British drama On a Clear Day is the feature debut for director Gaby Dellal. Peter Mullan plays Frank, a Glaswegian docker who is made redundant. His wife Joan ' Secrets and Lies' Brenda Blethyn - watches helplessly as he struggles to find a new direction. Frank's redundancy affects his workmates too. He was their foreman, and they looked up to him. His depressed state brings all sorts of emotional luggage to the surface. Still grieving for the son he lost years ago, Frank has an antagonistic relationship with his remaining son Rob, Jaimie Sives. Whilst on a booze cruise one of Frank's friends jokes that on a clear day he could swim to France. The challenge is set and with a renewed sense of purpose he will do everything possible to obtain it. On a Clear Day is a simple story that astutely navigates some complex issues, balancing humour with stark realism. In this day and age where our careers define our place in society, first time screen writer Alex Rose cleverly examines the fallout of retrenchment. Gaby Dellal's direction elicits fine performances from her ensemble cast. But it's the two leads Peter Mullan and Brenda Blethyn who steal the show, bringing real depth to what is at times a slow moving and predictable film.