This evening I was able to attend a preview of “Flying Scotsman,” the biographical film about Graeme Obree, Scottish cyclist and hour record breaker, based on his own autobiography. Having read his book a few years earlier, I was excited to see what would happen in translation to the big screen, and besides, a cycling movie?! How often do those come along?
Tonight’s audience had much in common with those fanatics who show up early for the first screening of a new “Star Wars” movie. Though no one wore a Chewbacca suit, there was a high nerd factor, as we all traipsed in with matching filthy outfits, after some comparing of bikes and stems, and certainly some discussion of appropriate rainwear (the weather stinks, with a big S).
As for the movie:
The bullying. To translate Obree’s childhood bullying into his adult life didn’t make a lot of sense, especially since the bully who taunted him after his hour records spoke almost incomprehensibly. This was a bit of an expansion from Obree’s account, though childhood bullying certainly marked him later.
The manic depression. It was only ever referred to as his “problem,” and I can’t say that it was clear the degree to which Obree’s manic phases allowed him to come up with some pretty innovating new ideas, while his depressive phase lead to a second suicide attempt, not mentioned in the movie. And that led to his book, and his ill-advised announcement of yet another hour-record attempt thereafter.
The actor. Jonny Lee Miller, awesome to have a Scot playing a Scot. But he could have used a wee bit more leg muscle.
Though structured as a “triumph against odds” story, some of those odds were completely dismissed. Namely, the fact that Obree’s rival, Chris Boardman, was highly supported by British funds, but none were offered to his Scottish counterpart. A bit of specific nationalism there. Certainly characters were truncated – one person I attended the movie with complained repeatedly that “he didn’t have a best friend!” in his autobiography. True, and I don’t think he had a kindly pastor either.
How did this movie play to people who know about cycling? A little bit like a TV movie, I’m afraid. The swelling music to lead our emotions, the guitar solos behind the race scenes. However I must admit that I have been watching movies exclusively on television these days (hardly ever go to the movies), so I was a little unable to focus due to the BIG screen. Pretty silly, huh?
Another question is: how will this movie play to people who don’t know about cycling? Hard to know. Certainly it suggests that taking action brings one out of unhappy circumstances and a gloomy existence. But does it fix it? Not usually.
Well, if the movie gets one more kid on a bike …..
