My Old School (2022)

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Image via miff.com.au

Oh my heart! This inventive and engaging Scottish documentary about small town scammer ‘Brandon Lee’ is more a celebration of humanity than a salacious exposé.

Rather self-consciously, we are presented right off the bat with the superlative Alan Cumming lip-syncing Brandon’s audio interview. Brandon doesn’t want his face seen, something that becomes understandable later on. Intercut with Daria-style animations voiced by some Glasgow legends (Lulu, Clare Grogan) are interviews with Brandon’s class mates and they are a funny and likeable lot.

We learn the story of the Glasgow school boy who turned out to be not quite what he seemed. I won’t give the details as it is rather delicious to watch it unfold. Suffice to say Brandon was not Brandon nor the 16 year old that posh Bearsden Academy thought he was.

What makes this so heartwarming are the naturally funny and candid interviews with his class mates including director Jojo McLeod. They reveal the details of the story and are sometimes surprised to find out the real facts. Their reflection on Brandon and their own roles as friends and dupes says a lot about the values that help us succeed in work and relationships. It also helps us understand Brandon’s narcissism and what might keep him from what he desires.

Consistently funny, there is a tangible dramatic arc that keeps you watching right up until the surprisingly emotional ending. McLeod has made this a celebration of decent people and ordinary lives and relegated Brandon to where he belongs, an amusing anecdote.


Have you seen this film? Let me know your thoughts.

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