ReaderKenka
Let's be realistic.
Intcatinfo
A Masterpiece!
Matho
The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.
SnoopyStyle
It's 1950 Glasgow. Ian Hamilton (Charlie Cox) and his friend Bill Craig (Billy Boyd) are young Scottish Nationalists. John MacCormick (Robert Carlyle) is pushing for a Scottish Parliament and home rule. There is much apathy at home and rejection in London. Ian comes up with the idea of retaking the Stone of Destiny. It was the seat of Scottish royalty that was taken by the English to Westminster Abbey in London and incorporated into the Coronation Chair. Ian cases the Abbey and goes to MacCormick for financial help who is surprised by his lowly £50 request. Bill backs out fearing arrest. MacCormick directs Ian to Kay Matheson (Kate Mara) who brings along strong Gavin Vernon who then brings along his skinny friend Alan Stuart and a rundown car.This works as a good old fashion caper film. It's got plenty of underdog and a large splash of Scottish nationalism. Charlie Cox is solid with the wide-eyed youthful exuberance. The group's chemistry is generally good. The ending gets a bit too sentimental but that's perfectly fine for this movie.
MartinHafer
I am just going to say it up front....this story is about the SUCCESSFUL theft of the sacred Stone of Destiny (also called the Stone of Scone). I say this up front because most Brits know about the stone and its theft back in 1950--or at least they should. So it's not like it's a huge secret, but I checked the spoiler alert so that readers will know that I am divulging a secret. Why did a group of Scots sneak into Westminster Abbey to steal some rock anyway?! Well, this was the coronation stone which traditionally sat underneath the Scottish monarchs when they were made king or queen--and it was stolen by the English in the late 13th century. Over the years, Scots felt a sting to their pride and ultimately a group of Scottish nationalists stole it back...temporarily. The film is about the students responsible and it recreates the crime (whether it was a crime depends on your perspective).This is a very well acted film featuring mostly young unknown actors. Despite their inexperience, the film did a nice job of conveying the story and was assisted by the man who was actually behind this theft! All in all, a very interesting film--especially since the entire operation was so incredibly amateurish and shouldn't have succeeded! As I say above, it was like the Three Stooges pulling off a heist--something that never should have happened BUT which makes those not involved in any way (like this American with neither Scottish nor English heritage) laugh at the absurdity of it all. Well worth seeing.
princebansal1982
This movie had a great premise, and it could have been a great movie if executed properly. But nothing clicks here. It is part drama and part heist movie. The heist part was really really boring. I have seen a lot of heist movies and it takes something clever to hold my interest. Sadly this was not it. Then there is the drama part. It is let down by an average acting. If Stone of Destiny had better actors, we could have been interested in their fates, but not here. The script is also pretty weak. Instead of feeling like a nationalist act, it actually feels like a high school prank. Most of all there is no energy in the film. With a topic like nationalism, a movie can easily rouse the audience and make them identify with the actors. Not here, we are just watching and waiting for the whole thing to end.
TxMike
We saw this on Netflix streaming.Even though Scotland is part of the British empire, they never have fully considered themselves "British." One item particularly, called the 'Stone of Destiny", represented their national pride. But some centuries earlier this stone, which probably weighs a few hundred pounds, was confiscated and then located in a chapel in Westminster Abby, under a chair, built in as part of the chair.Charlie Cox is 1950s vintage Ian Hamilton who, after listening to a lot of idle conversation about Scotland losing its national identity, decided to do something about it. As a gesture he would take the Stone of Destiny and bring it back to Scotland. A mere college student, it was a great task. This movie is based on those events, where Ian got a group of 4 together to make the heist on Christmas Eve and into the early morning hours when he figured security would be the most lax.Kate Mara, a New Yorker, is Scot Kay Matheson who joins Ian's efforts and eventually becomes his girlfriend. Of interest was Robert Carlyle of many "bad boy" roles as John MacCormick who was some Scot official who was aware of the plan. SPOILERS: The group succeeded, in a sort of manner, and did return the Stone to Scotland, but were eventually found out and arrested, but never brought to trial. The stone was subsequently "loaned" to Scotland, subject to recall when a new Soveriegn is installed.
