Review #195: 'Restless Natives' (1985)

This is one of those films that I almost blindly rented on video as a naive ten year old cineaste. I knew nothing about it, but remember that the film stayed with me long after viewing it. So much so, that I remembered it as an adult, yet had not seen it since that one rental in 1986. I absolutely adored the film as a youngster, and did not hesitate in telling all of my friends about it. And the chain continued, as I "turned on" my mates to this little Scottish gem of a film. But would the film charm me as it did back then?

The film focuses on Will (Vincent Friell) and Ronnie (Joe Mullaney), friends from Edinburgh who work together in a novelty shop. They both dream of bigger things. They start to hold up tourist buses in the highlands. Whilst they manage to get money from the American tourist, they also act them out in incredibly polite manner. Wearing clown and werewolf masks there highwayman charm filters into the tourism trade in Scotland, as floods of American tourists are flocking to coach trips in the hope of being robbed by these friendly folk heroes. However, one American tourist, Bender (Ned Beatty), who decides it is his duty to solve the crimes to the chagrin of the local police.

This film is absolutely wonderful. The leads are excellent, the script is sharp and funny. It has it all. It shows in some of the actors involved in this little British film. Not only the aforementioned Ned Beatty, but also cameos from Nannette Newman and Mel Smith. The naivety of the leads makes the film so much more charming, as they blunder their way through the newly found (secret) fame, as they gain international interest - including some brilliantly stereotypical Japanese television producers, who follow them round the highland roads filming ever movement. I would absolutely recommend this film to everyone, and their nans! Charming, beautiful and funny.


Directed by: Michael Hoffman
Starring: Vincent Friell, Joe Mullaney, Teri Lally, Ned Beatty
Country: UK

Rating: ***

Marc Ivamy