The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015)

The Legend of Barney Thomson is the kind of darkly comic, distinctly Glaswegian gem that sneaks up on you: a modest, awkward life suddenly colliding with a world that’s equal parts noir-ish and absurdly, hilariously grim. Robert Carlyle directs with a confident, unflashy touch, letting the comedy rise from deadpan discomfort and escalating bad luck rather than winking at the audience. And then there’s Emma Thompson, who storms in and practically rewires the movie’s energy—scene-stealing in the best way, while the rest of the cast keeps the tone brisk and biting. It’s not for viewers who shy away from brutality or pitch-black humor, but if you like your laughs sharp and your crime stories skewed, this one’s a wickedly entertaining surprise.

The Legend of Barney Thomson wants to be a scruffy Glasgow oddball crime-comedy, mixing deadpan humiliation with a sudden plunge into serial-killer farce. The problem is the script feels sketchy and the tone keeps wobbling between dark comedy and drama, so the jokes don’t consistently land and the menace never really bites either. It’s not helped by a flat, oddly bland pacing that makes the “0 to 60” premise feel more like a gentle roll downhill. If you’re here for Emma Thompson, she’s genuinely game and easily the highlight, but if you need sharp laughs or a focused, escalating story, this one may leave you wondering what the point was.