Wheelman

We recently re-upped our Netflix subscription (big TV and TV season disappointing and all) and have mostly seen terrible movies as a result. (Tranformers = How can you screw up giant fighting robots so badly?) On the other hand, we also finally watched the miniseries of Battlestar Gallactica, which was better than we’d hoped. (Maybe better for having watched most of the series? We found ourselves wishing that Starbuck had kept her messy teeth instead of getting caps before the series though.)

Last night, we had some friends over to watch a movie about Scottish cyclist Graeme Obry called The Flying Scotsman. Cycling is one of those sports that seems to come off well on film, usually — perhaps this is because the sport isn’t such a big deal here so when movies get made about cyclists it’s because the people involved actually care. The thing I liked best about this movie — besides cutie Jonny Lee Miller’s understated, natural performance as Obry — was that it resisted the Good Guy Vs. Bad Guy format that seems to be the default for American movies about sports. This movie is about someone trying to accomplish an amazing, radical athletic feat, but the obstacle is not some evil jerky cyclist from another cohort. Instead, the obstacle is Obry himself (and his mental illness). Bonus: Billy Boyd (Fool of a Took) is physically incapable of playing anything less than lovable and charming as Obry’s friend and manager.

Recommended for non-cyclists, too (and definitely for you Jenny D). You can watch the trailer here. Velodromes are awesome!