# Movies list for a kid going to Scotland for Uni **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413 "2015-03-19T19:29:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/1 "2015-03-19T19:29:56Z")
So my very American, Southern California strain, son is headed to Scotland for University. He has been accepted to Aberdeen, St. Andrews and Edinburgh. He has not been to Scotland since he was 6, or to the UK since he was 14. So why not let Hollywood, et al provide some grounding!!! Already planned viewings: - Braveheart - Rob Roy Those were easy, and I know full of historical gaffes, mistakes, etc. So I turn to the dope - over the next several months - what other bits of cinema should he watch? Netflix and Amazon available preferred - international tuition is going to sting a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/2 "2015-03-19T19:31:15Z")
[Wee Geordie,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048112/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) which remains _the_ definitive motion picture about Olympic hammer throwing. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/3 "2015-03-19T19:31:51Z")
Trainspotting TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/4 "2015-03-19T19:37:38Z")
Local Hero. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/5 "2015-03-19T20:08:06Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Local Hero. Damn, you beat me to it!!! Another good one: _ **One Day** _ (2011) Unlike many other movies set in Scotland, this one is modern and urban (set in Edinburgh) rather than rustic and quaint. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/6 "2015-03-19T20:09:30Z")
And\*\*\* Shallow Grave\*\*\*, for a change of pace! ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/7 "2015-03-19T20:29:05Z")
There was a Scottish sit-com called\*\*\* Rab C Nesbitt\*\*\* in the late 80s through the 90s about a drunken, proudly unemployed, lowest of the low Glaswegian and his family and friends. For Americans the nearest equivalent show that they may have heard of would be Shameless. Rab C Nesbitt was notorious for the dense accents used together with Scottish slang. Everyone I know who watched it (and that includes some Scottish people) watched with subtitles on and it still took many episodes to slowly acclimatise to the language and begin to work out from context what was being said. It is a reasonably funny sit-com but I would suggest watch it and if your son can even start to understand the accents then relax. At university they will be much, much easier to understand. Until they get drunk. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/8 "2015-03-19T20:40:15Z")
_The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie_, starring Maggie Smith. _Tunes of Glory_, starring Alec Guinness and John Mills. Two by Disney: _Greyfriar’s Bobby_. _The Three Lives of Thomasina_. ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/9 "2015-03-19T21:36:53Z")
What subject? I went to Aberdeen, myself, for post grad. I liked ‘Festival’ myself. But that’s funnier if you’ve been. ‘The Illusionist’ (animated, not Ed Norton) is good and was partly made in Dundee. And another vote for Local Hero. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/10 "2015-03-19T22:03:01Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > So my very American, Southern California strain, son is headed to Scotland for University. He has been accepted to Aberdeen, St. Andrews and Edinburgh. I live in Aberdeen. What does he intend studying? Btw if he is a Scottish citizen then tuition is free. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/11 "2015-03-19T22:06:11Z")
_Gregory’s Girl_ is a great film, and is very much “ordinary Scotland”, well the central belt anyway. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/12 "2015-03-19T22:06:44Z")
Well, my wife is obsessed with **Outlander** … 😉 I went to Stirling Uni for a year - really, really enjoyed it and the people. Not much to add other than to say if your son is the least bit up for it, he will have an amazing time. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/13 "2015-03-20T01:18:41Z")
> [@MickNickMaggies](#): > > What subject? I went to Aberdeen, myself, for post grad. > > I liked ‘Festival’ myself. But that’s funnier if you’ve been. ‘The Illusionist’ (animated, not Ed Norton) is good and was partly made in Dundee. > > And another vote for Local Hero. International Relations is his area of study. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/14 "2015-03-20T01:19:42Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I live in Aberdeen. What does he intend studying? > > Btw if he is a Scottish citizen then tuition is free. We are as American as they get, so I will be subsidizing the system instead. Happily - as it is still less than the cost of local unis. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/15 "2015-03-20T01:38:00Z")
Where is he leaning? What does he want to study? Scotland is typically a year longer than the rest of the UK? I haven’t seen it, but maybe _Stone of Destiny_ for ancient + more contemporary history? And some Billy Connolly? > [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Trainspotting Then I guess we _don’t_ want him to choose Edinburgh? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/16 "2015-03-20T01:45:17Z")
Get him to watch **Still Game** which is the funniest sitcom I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/17 "2015-03-20T02:00:36Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Local Hero. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > _Gregory’s Girl_ is a great film, and is very much “ordinary Scotland”, well the central belt anyway. Well, since we’ve covered two of the early '80s Bill Forsyth movies, we might as well go for the third, [Comfort and Joy](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087072), which takes its inspiration from the [Glasgow ice-cream wars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Ice_Cream_Wars). Not quite in the same league as Gregory’s Girl and Local Hero, but still quirky fun. Like Local Hero it has a Mark Knopfler soundtrack, and like Gregory’s Girl it has Clare Grogan (the first Kristine Kochanski in Red Dwarf). ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/18 "2015-03-20T02:49:08Z")
This is awesome everyone - I really appreciate it. Might be coming out for a visit in May, will let the local Dopers know. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/19 "2015-03-20T08:31:19Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > _Gregory’s Girl_ is a great film, and is very much “ordinary Scotland”, well the central belt anyway. Seconded. Give the sequel a skip, though. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413/20 "2015-03-20T08:39:45Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > There was a Scottish sit-com called\*\*\* Rab C Nesbitt\*\*\* in the late 80s through the 90s about a drunken, proudly unemployed, lowest of the low Glaswegian and his family and friends. For Americans the nearest equivalent show that they may have heard of would be Shameless. Still making occasional series of it, broadcast one a couple of years ago… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-list-for-a-kid-going-to-scotland-for-uni/715413.md?page=2)