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Local Hero (1983)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 0

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87

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Average Rating: 4.1/5
User Ratings: 6,926

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Movie Info

Bill Forsyth's whimsical tale of sweet-natured corporate rapacity features standout performances by Burt Lancaster and Peter Riegert. Lancaster plays Texas billionaire Felix Happer, who would rather gaze at the stars than worry about his multi-national oil company. Happer dispatches Mac MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) and Danny Oldsen (Peter Capaldi) to the small Scottish fishing village of Ferness to negotiate buying the entire town so Happer can drill for oil in the North Sea. Much to Mac's

PG, 1 hr. 52 min.

Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

Bill Forsyth

Sep 21, 1999

Warner Home Video

Cast

All Critics (31) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (0) | DVD (6)

The thematics are rather cloying, but the mood -- profoundly relaxed, bemused -- eventually conquers.

September 3, 2010 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
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[It's] loaded with wry, offbeat humor and is the sort of satisfying, personal picture that is becoming an increasingly rare commodity these days

August 13, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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Here is a small film to treasure, a loving, funny, understated portrait of a small Scottish town and its encounter with a giant oil company.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
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It demonstrates Mr. Forsyth's uncanny ability for making an audience sense that something magical is going on, even if that something isn't easily explained.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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A poignant, funny tale of a simpler life.

December 25, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

Without question, the most charming British film of the 1980s.

September 3, 2010 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

Bill Forsyth directs the film with wry understatement and has gentle affection for all of his characters.

August 6, 2010 Full Review Source: Cinemania | Comment

Forsyth cannot quite tease out of his characters the kind of strange sublety that Powell and Pressburger delivered, but it is enough that he and producer David Puttnam succeed in making you realise just how badly this kind of film has been missed.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

It's the feel-good flick of the decade.

October 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment
Filmcritic.com

A heartwarming and whimsical comedy of manners.

January 7, 2004 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Charming, whimsical, and practically perfect.

July 30, 2003 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Absolutely wonderful.

February 27, 2003 Comment
San Francisco Examiner
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Local Hero

A taste of the quaint life of rural Scotland back in the early 80s when the oil giants were still considered a necessary evil. This really is a British classic with memorable characters and a signature theme tune in Mark Knopfler's synth score.

March 9, 2011
RossCollinsUK

Super Reviewer

I really cannot praise Local Hero enough; it is simply one of the best films ever made and certainly, without any shadow of doubt, my number one favourite movie of all time. Fans of Ealing Comedy will relate to this film instantly. The humour is extremely subtle, going for the quirkiness of human behaviour rather than

February 10, 2011
matertenebraum

Super Reviewer

    1. Gordon Urquhart: The restaurant opens at eight. Seven in the fishing season... It's not the fishing season.
    – Submitted by Vincent M (5 months ago)

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