On a Clear Day (2005)

Directed by: Gaby Dellal | 105 minutes | drama | Actors: Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Sean McGinley, Jamie Sives, Ron Cook, Benedict Wong, Jodhi May, Billy Boyd, Anne Marie Timoney, Shaun Dingwall, Tony Roper, Paul Ritter, Andrew MacLennan, James MacLennan, Irene Ann Burt

‘On a Clear Day’ is a kind of project in which people work on themselves and opens with impressive images of the launching of a ship. This is also the end of his career for Frank (Peter Mullan). Frank works at a shipyard in Glasgow and is fired after working at the shipyard for some 36 years. He could have continued to work there, but has always expressed his opinion frankly and freely, for which he now has to pay the toll.

In fact, he denies the situation he is in now, unemployment is enormous in those parts, work will hardly be found anymore. He has to make the way to the Job Center and has the misfortune of having to do an intake interview with his successful daughter-in-law Angela, who has a good job there. She has agreed with her husband Rob (Frank’s son) that Rob will take on the role of house man. This is an abomination for the type of man like Frank. Frank’s world collapses, he ignores the harsh reality and begins to shut down more and more. This first part of the film is a classic and well-filmed story about human trials in the typical style of British social realism and based on the well-known working-class genre.

The storyline also contains a clear father-son conflict. The reason is that long ago Rob’s brother drowned in an accident. This has led to frictions that were never pronounced and a great distance between Frank and Rob.

Frank eventually plans to swim across the Channel with the help of four friends. In this second part, the film takes on a different character, the tone becomes light and some easy jokes are sometimes made. That is a form of imperfection and causes some imbalance. The acting is always top-notch, by the way. The plans for his swim, however, remain credible, as does the help offered by others.

It is never really put too bold, the entire preparation and implementation of the plan remains realistic. The reason for Frank’s swim is a tragedy in which a son drowned in the sea at the age of seven. This drama almost continuously reappears in some way throughout the rest of the story. The relationship between father Frank and son Rob is minimal as a result, Rob thinks Frank blames him for the death of his brother.

The entire set-up of his swimming plan must of course remain a secret, that is at the same time a bit of the weakness of that part. There is then constantly being done very mysteriously in a way that does not come across as entirely believable. It goes without saying that his plan cannot remain a secret and of course everyone decides to support him in one way or another on the big day or to surprise him on arrival in France. The story twists again when his best friend suddenly quits his job at the shipyard and in his Scottish kilt takes his wife from work to accompany Eddy. A similar comment can also be made with regard to the elaboration of the character of Frank’s wife Blethyn. Her contribution to the storyline is unfinished, her only ambition is apparently to get a bus driver’s license.

Whether the crossing of the Channel succeeds and is declared valid or not, what he goes through during his swim and how this affects his self-esteem and the relationship with his son, remains unmentioned here.

Overall, a nice film that initially starts with a decent social-realistic approach, but gradually sinks into a slightly lighter comedy and feel-good movie due to the chosen development. Not a violently realistic drama as we know it from the work of Ken Loach or Mike Leigh. For lovers of the realism of the British working class genre, also because of the good acting, ultimately worth it