Uisdean Mackay was jailed in 1994 for murder but released after 16 years to care for his elderly father, Calum. Lou McLoughlan’s documentary is a film of two halves, the first examining Uisdean’s relationship with his father and the second his romance with Audrey, whom he meets when he is returned to jail accused of stabbing. By allowing Uisdean to present his version of events unchallenged, McLoughlan invites us to sympathise with him, but it’s much easier to feel sad for Calum and Audrey as Uisdean undermines their faith in him and fails to take the opportunities they offer. In one particularly sad moment, Uisdean reads a letter from his father informing him “with a heavy heart” that he will no longer inherit the croft. This is a beautifully shot film, with lingering images of placid Highland lochs set against the brutal stories. McLoughlan’s unobtrusive style shows but never tells, leaving the viewer to decide if Uisdean deserves forgiveness.
