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Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Sean McGinley, Jamie Sives, Billy Boyd ... see more see more... , Ron Cook , Jodhi May , Benedict Wong , Anne Marie Timoney , Shaun Dingwall , Tony Roper , Paul Ritter

A middle-aged man gives himself the challenge of a lifetime in this comedy drama from the U.K. Frank (Peter Mullan) has spent most of his 55 years working the same job in the shipyards of Glasgow unti... read more read more...l he's fired after business tapers off and technology makes his position unnecessary. While Frank tries to put on a brave face, he has no idea of what to do next or what sort of work he should find. Frank's embarrassment gets much worse when he applies for unemployment benefits, only to discover his sister-in-law Angela (Jodhi May) is working behind the corner. As Frank's anxiety grows worse, he begins having panic attacks, leading to sympathy from his wife, Joan (Brenda Blethyn), and son, Rob (Jamie Sives), which only makes him feel more humiliated. One of Frank's few respites from his troubles are his regular visits to a nearby community swimming pool, where he does laps with his pals Eddie (Sean McGinley), Norman (Ron Cook), and Danny (Billy Boyd). One day, one of them jokes about the possibility of swimming the English Channel, which is only 21 miles across at its narrowest point near Dover. However, Frank doesn't think the idea is so silly, and begins training to make the journey; while at first his family and friends think he's gone mad, his plans give him a drive and a sense of purpose he hasn't had since losing his job. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

60% liked it

12,202 ratings

Critics

66% liked it

65 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Gaby Dellal

Release Date: April 7, 2006

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DVD Release Date: July 11, 2006

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Stats: 417 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (417)

  • SirPant
    October 2, 2009
    SirPant
    This film should have continued with the bleakness that it displayed in the first 5 minutes because it soon descended into stupid comedy which, inevitably, turns it into a 'This year?s Full Monty' film. I thought the direction was very good. The mood in the first few scenes made ... read moreme expect a gritty drama, it was very well handled and should have been continuous. Peter Mullan is a great actor, hugely underrated, he's one of the finest actors in the world and he carries this film till the bitter end. The supporting cast is varied. It has Ron Cook and Sean McGinley, two great actors, with no great script for them to get stuck into which really is a waste of their talents. Brenda Blethyn is ok but I'm not a huge fan of hers as I believe she hams up most of her performances and indulges in a bit of over acting, I believe her various awards have gone to her head. Jamie Sives heads the rest of the talentless cast (although Wong was harmless and I quite like him) but for me, and one of the reasons I got annoyed with this film, was because of the inclusion of pointless character number one, played by Billy Boyd. He's not funny and he made a mockery of a very real subject that effects a lot of people. Why was he in this? I think it just shows that this film wasn't sure of its direction, what its meaning was going to be. A real shame and wasted opportunity. I've said it before and I'll say it again, The Full Monty has a lot to answer for! Mullan and Dellal carry this film but I wouldn't bother if I were you, watch My Name is Joe instead!
  • RossCollinsUK
    April 22, 2009
    RossCollinsUK
    Laid off Glasgow dock worker tries to find some meaning to his life by swimming the English channel. It's a fairly light, British chum drama that will comfortably fill a spare hour and a half. I found the subplot a rather vague, unnecessary distraction and not all the acting was ... read morefirst class.
  • gator681
    April 29, 2007
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"On a Clear Day" starts with Frank(Peter Mullan) being made redundant after working thirty-six years at the shipyards. For him, work is everything and is at a loss what to do next, looking for a new job not coming easy. The only hobby he enjoys is swimming ... read moreat the pool with his pals. Suddenly he has a goal in life - to swim the English Channel.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]Meanwhile, his wife, Joan(Brenda Blethyn), is secretly learning how to drive a bus...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"On a Clear Day" is a nice pleasant movie about masculinity, the generation gap and trying to find a purpose in life in middle age.(Frank has always supported his family but that may change now that his wife is looking for work outside the home. His son is comfortable taking care of his kids while his wife works at a job center.) But the movie is rather routine, resembling other crowd pleasing movies that center on the working class without seriously discussing politics; the best of which was "Brassed Off." The movie has more than enough silliness and amateur psychology to go around. What makes it all worthwhile is Peter Mullan's magnificient performance capturing all the nuances of his character's conflicting emotions perfectly. [/font]
  • xanderearl
    August 26, 2009
    xanderearl
    A small film about a man who developes a big ambition. It works its way from a painful opening to a satisfying conclusion.
  • alibarr333
    March 3, 2009
    alibarr333
    I adored this film. The accents are a little hard to follow but the story is so good and the characters so lovable!
  • hayguy14
    May 4, 2008
    hayguy14
    A pretty good movie about a English guy dealing with his mid life crisis. Not as good as American Beauty.
  • TheEssentials
    October 3, 2007
    TheEssentials
    An extraordinary, simple film about determination, demons, relationships, obsession, and transformation.

    The acting and screenplay are all perfectly executed with all of the humor, tension, and emotion in the right places. The weak spot here is in Dellal's direction, but it is a... read more small price to pay for a good, solid film.
  • lavenderleeloo
    September 30, 2007
    lavenderleeloo
    I give this movie mad props. There were times i didnt understand what they were saying, lol, but it was a cool movie. i love the ending. Its a great story!
  • alchamagua
    September 25, 2007
    alchamagua
    A man comes to accept situations for what they are and starts to embrace life...a liitle slow, but still good.
  • squintywill
    June 7, 2007
    squintywill
    good movie; not so great to watch with kids--alot of "guy humor". (watch out for "merv the perv"--cant help laughing at that name...and the joke about Bangco[c]k). No sex scenes or violence, just a drama about a family, a man and his supportive (funny) friends. I laughed out lo... read moreud more than once.

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Critic Reviews

Geoff Pevere
May 5, 2006
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

The recycled spectacle of yet another downsized U.K. working-class type being reduced to an act of feel-good against-all-odds crowd-pleasing redemption. Full Review

Rick Groen
May 5, 2006
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

The wonder here, if not the redemption, is that so many toil so hard to make this saccharine stuff palatable. Full Review

Terry Lawson
April 28, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

... despite its familiarity, it works, mostly on the strength of a fine performance by the Scottish actor Peter Mullan. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
April 21, 2006
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

Clear Day isn't terribly engaging. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
April 14, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

A lesser film, kindhearted, a wee bit weepy and a wee bit trite. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 14, 2006
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Nothing in On a Clear Day is especially compelling. The movie doesn't dig deep enough. Full Review

Ty Burr
April 14, 2006
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Does any of this work? Sure, but only through the graces of a cast that knows better than to play to our hearts. Full Review

David Germain
April 14, 2006
David Germain, Associated Press

A thoughtful, thoroughly engaging portrait of fractured family and friends pulling together for an impossible dream.

Peter Rainer
April 13, 2006
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Mullan always looks as if he's about to explode -- sometimes he does -- and he's in good enough shape to make the aquatic conceit believable. Full Review

Bill Muller
April 13, 2006
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

The symbolism in On a Clear Day makes it more than just another underdog story, and the movie is less reliant on warm and fuzzy Hollywood- isms than other films of its kind. Full Review

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