Frankie (Kevin McKidd) looks back on his wasted life as he is beaten senseless by a group of thugs in an alleyway. As a child, Frankie lived under the influence of his drunken, philandering father. As a teenager, he fell in with a gang of skinheads who unleashed their pent-up rage across the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. As an adult, however, he seeks help and becomes involved with two women -- an art student (Laura Fraser) and a fellow addict (Susan Lynch) -- who may prove to be his salvation.
A full-flavored, absorbing tragedy. show more
The pacing soon grows dull and the frequent narration is a nonstop string of clichés, platitudes, and truisms that should have been flung out the cutting-room window. show more
But the film has a poetic pulse, its ups and downs accompanied by some smartly chosen pop songs, a seductive original score and McKidd's husky voice-over narration. show more