After 35 years abroad, Donal (Alan Cumming) returns to the town of Glenrothan in Scotland at the request of his estranged brother, Sandy (Brian Cox). Sandy has been running the family distillery but now he is in ill health and is looking for Donal to take over.
This is Cox’s directorial debut with a screenplay by David Ashton and Jeff Murphy and it is a quiet delight. On the surface it is a simple, drama that unfolds at a leisurely pace. But, in its low key way, it covers big topics like love, death and family obligations in a skilled way.
Cumming is an underrated performer and he is brilliant here as a complex character who has suppressed his feelings of guilt for decades. Shirley Henderson, dialling down her usual quirkiness, is excellent as the woman he left behind and it is nice to see Siobhan Redmond in a supporting role.
Maybe it is a little predictable, but I found Glenrothan touching and heart warming.
Rating: 8 out of 10