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.

The film was marketed incorrectly, I'm sure. The Scottish-nationalist premise and the political message certainly would have prevented me from seeing the film had it come to our small town. But that's not what the film is about. I caught this flick on a lonely Tuesday. It was on a cheap disk marked 'fantasy' - no doubt because Billy Boyd starred in LOTR.What is this movie about? A college student hatches a plan to steal Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey in 1950. He gathers three accomplices, two of whom are engineering students. Based on a true story, this ridiculous plot actually happened, and the thieves were charged but never prosecuted for reasons that are obvious after watching the film.Why should you see it? Anyone who has been young enough, and dumb enough, and bright enough to give a flip about anything will be rooting for these idiots all the way through. The film takes a bit to get started, but once they decide to steal the Stone of Destiny, it actually runs quite fast, and if you don't pay attention, you'll get lost.The film is remarkably funny. Ever see a 1950's crime-comedy? The story might as well be a comedy. Even the villains - the British - are so charming and normal, one wonders why the kids are so intently interested in the Scottish nationalism.Why was the film panned? Young men, and one young woman valiantly risk their lives and their future for their nation and their community in a daring plot that could only succeed with a divine blessing they never bother to ask for. ... Need I say more? Patriotism. Virtue. Honor. Duty. Charity. Faith. Sacrifice. All wrapped in a plot so stupid only a couple of engineering students could hatch it. No propaganda. No Hollywood spew. The good guys are all Scots. What's not to hate? I'm surprised the flick was even made.If you can stand a flick with pretty good acting, not great, but not civic theater, and a bit of humor, you will enjoy this movie. It is set in the 50's, and but for a couple of probably unavoidable goofs, it feels like the real 50's.I gave the movie a couple of extra stars... it's a special gem we see so little of.

This film is another worthwhile addition to the litany of low budget Scottish films. It's short on explosions and other spectacular effects; instead it majors on how the events in the film bring out the true selves of the key characters, while retaining a streak of slightly whimsical comedy. It reminded me very much of "On A Clear Day" -- indeed, one or two of the same actors appear -- but that film was about a man finding his own soul; this film is about finding the soul of a nation. Furthermore, it's true ... OK, so some of the events are re-ordered or omitted for dramatic effect, but much of what you see really did happen. Even the filming venues are genuine ... you really are seeing Glasgow University and you really are seeing the interior of Westminster Abbey. The music is genuinely Scottish too ... 'Wild Mountain Thyme' and 'Scots Wha Hae With Wallace Bled' form a lot of the backing music.See this if you enjoyed 'On a Clear Day'; to a lesser extent it's also like 'The Full Monty', 'Heartlands', and 'Braveheart'.

Since around the 9th century, tradition holds that Scottish monarchs took their place upon the Stone of Scone during their coronation ceremony, until 1296 when it was captured by Edward I and placed in Westminster Abbey under a seat upon which English sovereigns were crowned, thereby showing the English power over the Scots. "Stone of Destiny" tells the true story of Ian Hamilton, a young student and nationalist, who was to attempt to return the Stone to its rightful place in Scotland and thereby right a long-standing injustice by the English.The cast is strong and features the likes of Robert Carlyle, Brenda Fricker and Billy Boyd (that "fool of a Took"). However, Charlie Cox once again caught my attention following his leading role in Stardust. Given he is not a native Scot, he makes a great effort at the accent, and again manages to portray his character with a great balance of likability, determination and youthful exuberance, and gives us hope that some of the next generation's leading men can combine acting and looking good... Director Charles Martin Smith does wonderfully in conveying the underdog theme brilliantly with a good balance of action, comedy and emotion. It's a definite feel-good movie, with the people around me clapping at the end. 5 stars, a British gem.