EIFF 2015 – Review: Scottish Mussel

28th June 2015

Scottish Mussel is an old fashioned caper movie, reminiscent of the Carry On Films. Ritchie ( Martin Compston) a petty Glaswegian crook is looking to make a bit of fast money and he and his motley crew of misfits start illegally pearl fishing only for him to fall in love with the English conservationist Beth (Talulah Riley) in the process.

This is Talulah Riley’s first foray as writer, director and actress and she does a fine job making good use of the Scottish countryside.

There isn’ much more to say about this film either you like old fashioned comedies such as the Carry on Films or you don’t. If you fall into the latter group then you will not enjoy this film. For the most part I found it an enjoyable way to spend 93 minutes but be warned the script is pretty flimsy but the actors especially Martin Compston and his motley crew (Paul Brannigan and Joe Thomas) make it easy to watch and look out for Harry Enfield as a the fast food truck owner.

It was shown as part of the Best of British selection at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Ritchie is a Glaswegian chancer with low hopes and no prospects. Disillusioned with city life, he goes undercover at a Highland conservation centre to make his fortune as an illegal pearl fisher with the help of his two hapless and accident prone mates, Danny and Fraser. Here he meets Beth, a pretty English conservationist passionate about saving endangered mussels from the clutches of pearl thieves in the Scottish Highlands. Falling for her instantly, Ritchie must beat off competition in the form of Highland Ranger Ethan, a smooth talking American Adonis convinced that Beth can’t resist his charms forever. After the success of pearl fishing attracts the unwanted attentions of old school Glaswegian mobster Gavin and his work at the centre leads him to question his true motivations, Ritchie must risk life and limb to save the Highlands from ecological disaster and win Beth’s heart.

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