Film Review - Our Ladies (2021)

Based on the award-winning novel “The Sopranos” by Alan Warner, Our Ladies follows a group of Scottish schoolgirls on a day trip to Edinburgh to perform in a choir competition that, for better or worse, could help their lives in very different ways. Travelling from a small town deep in the Scottish Highlands armed with Coke bottles topped up with vodka and a few other surprises, the ladies excitedly plan their day of food, shopping and Northern Soul karaoke whilst still trying to figure out where their futures lie and if the next steps will keep them all together.

Orla (Tallulah Greive) is still feeling the after-effects, mentally and physically, from leukaemia and wants to live life to the fullest should it return; Finnoula (Abigail Lawrie) and Manda (Sally Messham) have been inseparable since their “wee” years but life and love has begun to test their bond; Chell (Rona Morrison) is trying to break free of the horrific nature of bullying and labels by forging her own path; whilst Kylah (Marli Siu) dreams of being a famous singer but her path to stardom is stuck in a rut. All the ladies have different paths but the ground beneath them still consists of each other and, no matter where it leads, they will always have their bond.

It’s been a long road for filmmaker Michael Caton-Jones to get Our Ladies in the can – a 20-year long odyssey that saw the film slowly change from a present day film to what is now a period piece. Finally, though, the stars aligned and we are delighted they did for his latest is an absolute joy that celebrates life, love, friendship and the fledgling years of womanhood. It’s been labelled riotous and raucous since its debut across the festival circuit in 2019 and, although we can think of plenty of other adjectives to send its way, it is probably the best description of Caton-Jones’ film and it does start as it means to go on.

From the first few moments when a submarine is spotted out of the windows as it heads for the land just below them, its deft, unique comic edge bursts through and doesn’t let up for a second’s breath as we follow the girls on a day they will never forget. There are some heavier undertones that simmer away underneath, of course, those of Orla’s illness, promiscuity and teenage pregnancy, rivalries, and fear of the future but in the hands of Caton-Jones dark and the light are beautifully measured.

Usually, such “jollies” are undertaken by working class males with the ability to head to exotic locales to discuss sex, girls and alcohol, and while the formative years of women can be just as messy, their experiences aren’t always spotlighted as they are here and what a wonderful and refreshing thing it is to see them talk about those aforementioned things in life. In the hands of this incredible cast, such things are handled with delicacy, realism and humour and while many comparisons will be made with last year’s Rocks, we shouldn’t compare and instead celebrate both as utter joys of cinema and as timely stories screamed to be told.