Local Hero (1983)

Simply my favorite movie ever. Never fails to warm my heart, even after many, many viewings. Beautifully written, filmed, acted- everything works. I loved the whole movie, but especially the last scene. It just sums up the whole movie for me- friendship, not the material, is ultimately all that matters.

Great writing; a dozen well-developed characters. Gentle good humor, without demeaning anyone. A beautiful score, that fit the mood of the movie perfectly. Can't say enough about this movie- see it, see it, see it!

Fmovies: If you add one good film to your repertoire of movies this year, let Local Hero be the one you add. Although it was made in 1983, the subject and story are timeless. From beginning to end, it captures your attention. The writing is brilliant, the acting even better and the locations (especially Scotland) are magic.

Do yourself a favor and watch this movie! I consider myself a film nerd, and I would categorize Local Hero in my top twenty favorites, easily.

I've done three things today. I ordered a DVD of "Local Hero" (which led me to this site), I read most of the comments about the film and I watched a telly programme about a mobile phone salesman from Wales (Paul Potts), who went on a TV talent show and is now topping album charts across the planet. While millions of people absolutely love his rendition of, "Nessun dorma", certain opera critics are putting the whole business down, because these fans don't "know" anything about opera.

I don't "know" anything about films - and for that reason, I'm not qualified to comment on the direction, script or characterisations of "Local Hero". But then, unlike some of those who have criticised it, I don't feel any burning desire to take the film apart and put the bits under the microscope. All I know is that it makes me feel great, like a walk in the countryside on a bright spring morning. It makes me feel happy, positive, warm and hopeful. It makes me love the world even more than before - I want to rush out into the street and invite passers-by in for a cup of tea. It hits the soul-button that, as an atheist, I shouldn't have. So who cares about the plot or the pace or "where it's going"? It touches me ... in the same way that it's obviously affected a great many other people.

Yup, I reckon it'll be my favourite film of all time.

Mind you, I did think the casting was perhaps a bit....

Local Hero fmovies. A real sleeper of a movie. I rented it without knowing anything about this film beforhand and was taken prisoner from start to finish. I honestly didn't want the movie to end. Full of interesting and amusing characters, a terrific musical score, wryly satirical without being demeaning of anyone; it invites you into a totally believable world where you begin to care about the fate of everyone and there are no false notes in the script, direction or performances.

If anyone ever doubted the importance of a screenplay in the success of a movie or thought that a big budget, lots of pyrotechnics and loads of special effects could cover up a movie's shortcomings - see this film. It should be required at all film schools as an example of what can be accomplished on a little budget but with good ideas and lots of talent. A perfect 10 - times 2!

I consider this one of the 10 best movies I've ever seen (and to paraphrase John Cleese from LIFE OF BRIAN, I've seen a few). It is definitely the funniest movie of the 80's, just ahead of RAISING ARIZONA. And although LOCAL HERO and RAISING ARIZONA are quite dissimilar films, they do share one distinction: they were both made in the 80's, yet they go totally against the grain of movies made during that decade. All the shallow, cheap, go for the simple-minded lowest common denominator audience garbage that was so much a part of the 80's is missing here.

What is most special about LOCAL HERO to me is how it not only respects it's audience, but seems to show an against-all-odds affection for humanity that INCLUDES the audience. Bill Forsyth cares about every character that inhabits his film, and in a very gentle, open-handed way he seems to want to share his characters with the audience so that the audience might see the best of themselves in some aspect of those characters.

I can understand why Forsyth didn't develop into a major moviemaker in Hollywood, in the same way that I can understand why some people find this movie boring. But somehow, to me, keeping this movie alive along with all its' other fans is part of a cockeyed optimism about people that, these days, seems to be very much against-the-grain.

I first saw this film in 1983 when I was living in Chicago. At every line of dialog, I expect the trite or cliché and, in every instance, I am subtly drawn into the filmmaker's viewpoint and away from my own cynical, sarcastic, pessimistic viewpoint. I laugh at myself and my expectations and I am charmed into experiencing the many dimensions of human character that I find in this film.

I am thrilled to find so many others who appreciate this film. It is one of the few videos that I own. I watch it every year and I have never been dissatisfied with it. And, for the record, I am female.

When I toured England, Wales and Scotland, I was completely unprepared for the beauty and magic of Scotland. This film has become more dear to me since then, because it reminds me of Scotland. The scenery is beautiful, but always secondary to the human landscape.

The underlying strength of the film is that all the human beings, in their unexpectedness and diversity, are equal players in the tapestry of the whole. Many of the value systems of humanity today are portrayed in one village. But the happiest person is the one who works for his living by harvesting the gifts washed up by the sea. (And, in his shadow persona, pockets all the fresh baked goods at the ceilidh :-) )

Now I live in Kansas City and view life from the heartland. I come away from Local Hero wanting to view humanity from the heart, not from the trite or the cliché or my prejudices. This is quite an accomplishment for a film.

Added in 2013: After 30 years, I still love this film. I finally know what the final scene means to me - but I will let you figure that out for yourself. I finally appreciate, consciously, the soundtrack - which was just part of the whole for the first 20 viewings of the film. I am still charmed by this beautiful, magical subtle work of art. I hope you like it too!