Yesterday was rather wet and miserable here in Glasgow - but as nothing compared to the storms that battered the southern part of these islands.  It was also my 'day off' and I took myself into town to see the film 'Sunshine on Leith', a feel good story set in Edinburgh and a real Proclaimers fest - numerous songs that I haven't heard for many a long year, and others that reappear from time to time in new guises.

The film was a ray of sunshine, a simple story with no real plot and a broadly happy ending.  With huge numbers of extras, the musical scenes had echoes of 'Oliver!', 'Mary Poppins' or even the end of 'Slumdog Millionaire' complete with lots of dancing.  And I guess, too, some, albeit lesser, parallels with 'Mama Mia', 'We will rock you' and other musicals/films based on songs by specific artists.

Panaoramic views across Edinburgh punctuated the story and were stunningly beautiful, and good use was made of local venues to frame the story line.

The humour of any story is always interesting - and as an English person in a Glaswegian cinema audience it was 'interesting' to see what caused people to laugh aloud, something I am still mulling over (was this humour 'against ourselves' or 'against others'... and does it matter which it is, hmmm).

Not that many films send me out with songs resonating in my head, and not many manage to be feel good without tipping over into twee.

Lots of fun, then, but also a film with potential for those who like using film and/or music as a jumping off point for theological reflection... be it confession/absolution, forgiveness/reconciliation, ambition, love, separation, amibition, and so on (♫  'It's over and done with' ♫ 'I'm on my way from misery to happiness' ♫ 'Letter from America' ♫ 'I would walk 500 miles' ♫ etc).

Good fun, and glad I went to see it - it certainly was a ray of sunshine on a rainy day.