This film is part of Rentals

This film is certified

I accept this guidance

Title of error

Local Hero

An American oil-man goes native while on a mission to buy up a Scottish fishing village, in Bill Forsyth’s tribute to Scotland’s irresistible charm.

Comedy 1983 111 mins

Director: Bill Forsyth

Rent for £3.50

Overview

Bill Forsyth’s tribute to rural Scotland’s irresistible charm is also the ultimate parable of going native. Texan billionaire Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster) despatches hot-shot executive "Mac" MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) to buy up a Scottish fishing village. To his surprise, Mac finds the villagers receptive, but the plan is scuppered by the intransigence of a solitary fisherman (Fulton Mackay) who refuses to budge from his beach-side shack. As Mac becomes ever more embedded into village life, Happer decides to make a personal intervention.

Forsyth’s unashamedly romantic evocation of Scotland is heightened by Mark Knopfler’s famous guitar score; the result is one of the most fondly admired British films of the 1980s.

Director

Bill Forsyth

Featuring

Peter Riegert , Denis Lawson , Fulton Mackay , Peter Capaldi , Jennifer Black , Jenny Seagrove and Burt Lancaster

Genres

Comedy and Drama

Certificate

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English

Rent for £4.50

Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)

Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami

A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthami’s gripping, pitch-black satire.

Rent for £3.50

Seven Psychopaths Seven Psychopaths

Comedy 2012 110 mins Director: Martin McDonagh

Three Billboards' director Martin McDonagh spins an epic and twisted tale of pets and gangsters, with an all-star cast.

Rent for £3.50

Tamara Drewe Tamara Drewe

Comedy 2010 111 mins Director: Stephen Frears

The return of beautiful journalist Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton) awakens destructive passions in a Dorset village.

Rent for £4.50

The Day Shall Come The Day Shall Come

Comedy 2019 88 mins Director: Christopher Morris

An impoverished Miami preacher is lured into terrorism by the FBI, in the latest explosive satire from comedy genius Chris Morris.

Rent for £3.50

Happy-Go-lucky Happy-Go-lucky

Comedy 2008 118 mins Director: Mike Leigh

Sally Hawkins shines in her breakout role as the perpetually sunny Poppy, in Mike Leigh’s charming drama about the power of optimism.

Rent for £2.50

The Angels' Share The Angels' Share

Comedy 2012 97 mins Director: Ken Loach

A young Glaswegian father-to-be discovers his nose for whisky and spots a chance to help his friends. Directed by Ken Loach.

Rent for £3.50

Mindhorn Mindhorn

Comedy 2017 88 mins Director: Sean Foley

Julian Barratt is hilarious as the washed-up actor forced to reprise his 80s TV role as a sleuth with a robotic truth-telling eye, to help catch a deranged killer.

Rent for £3.50

In the Loop In the Loop

Comedy 2009 106 mins Director: Armando Iannucci

Armando Iannucci returns to the world of his hit show The Thick of It as Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) and Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) deal with a Middle-East crisis of their own making.

Rent for £3.50

The Big Sick The Big Sick

Comedy 2017 120 mins Director: Michael Showalter

The hilarious, breakout indie comedy about a Pakistan-born comedian and his culture-clash relationship with an American grad student.

Rent for £3.50

The Death of Stalin The Death of Stalin

Comedy 2017 107 mins Director: Armando Iannucci

Chaos and comedy ignite in Armando Iannucci’s acerbic satire, as Soviet officials frantically react to the passing of their glorious leader.

Rent for £4.50

Ballywalter Ballywalter

Comedy 2020 90 mins Director: Prasanna Puwanarajah

Seána Kerslake is superb as caustic cab driver, Eileen, who makes an unlikely connection with regular passenger and local comedian, Shane (Patrick Kielty), in Prasanna Puwanarajah’s charming debut.

Rent for £4.50

The Trouble with Jessica The Trouble with Jessica

Comedy 2023 89 mins Director: Matt Winn

An uninvited guest causes havoc at a dinner party in this highly entertaining and darkly comic satire.

Rent for £3.50

Broken Broken

Drama 2013 91 mins Director: Rufus Norris

A compelling drama of splintered families and warring neighbours, with a stunning debut from young Eloise Laurence. With Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy.

Rent for £3.50

Comfort and Joy Comfort and Joy

Comedy 1984 104 mins Director: Bill Forsyth

Director Bill Forsyth followed the enormously successful Local Hero with this bittersweet comedy about a radio DJ who becomes embroiled in a turf war between rival ice cream vendors.

Rent for £3.50

South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic

Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley

An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.

Rent for £4.50

Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)

Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami

A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthami’s gripping, pitch-black satire.

Rent for £3.50

The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent

Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae

John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.