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My Old School

Play trailer 1:55 Poster for My Old School Released Jul 22, 2022 1h 44m Documentary Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
92% Tomatometer 98 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
In 1993, 16-year-old Brandon Lee enrolled at Bearsden Academy, a secondary school in a well-to-do suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. What followed over the next two years would become the stuff of legend. Brandon had been privately tutored in Canada while he accompanied his mother, an opera diva, on tour before her tragic death. The preternaturally bright student surprised teachers by blazing toward his goal of entering medical school, displaying a wealth of knowledge beyond his years. Brandon found friends despite his initial awkwardness, taking bullied students under his wing, introducing classmates to seminal retro bands, and even starring in the school's production of South Pacific. But then his unbelievable secret was revealed. Filmmaker Jono McLeod returns to his old school for a nostalgic look at the strange but true story of his former classmate, Brandon Lee. Utilizing playful, period-specific animation, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, the memories of students and teachers, and the talents of Alan Cumming to bring the tale to life, My Old School offers more than one surprise along the way.
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My Old School

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Critics Consensus

My Old School's unique approach to an outlandish true story makes for entertaining -- and ultimately rather thought-provoking -- viewing.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald The film achieves a Rashomon-like complexity of viewpoint, although it’s a lot funnier than Kurosawa’s classic film. It’s partly the Scottish sense of humour, so rich in its understanding of human frailty. Rated: 4/5 Jan 20, 2023 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) It’s a fascinating story that starts as an affable, strange-but-true tall tale but ends in a decidedly minor key. Rated: 4/5 Aug 21, 2022 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) A labyrinthine network of self-deception, snobbery and megalomania as MacKinnon’s antiseptic arrogance creeps through... Rated: 4/5 Aug 19, 2022 Full Review Serena Seghedoni Loud and Clear Reviews It’s in its thoughtful analysis of humanity’s hopes and fears that McLeod‘s documentary excels, using its “unimaginable” story to tackle universal struggles and anxieties. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 20, 2023 Full Review Graeme Tuckett Stuff.co.nz McLeod reveals some astonishing discrepancies between how the former classmates collectively remember events -- and what actually happened. Rated: 4/5 Jan 19, 2023 Full Review Stephen A. Russell ABC News (Australia) Go in knowing as little as possible... absolutely trippy... go see! Jan 19, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (20) audience reviews
Jonah K not as interesting as it thinks it is. makes me happy i never lived in a small town bubble, i guess. also, who decided on the Tim & Moby/Your Favorite Martian animation style? Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/31/24 Full Review Eileen J OMG I absolutely loved everything about this. It is a film I will never forget. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/24 Full Review James P I was vaguely familiar with elements of this story but I was unprepared for both the bizarre and shocking deceptions and also just how entertaining it was. The former pupils and teachers are the real stars, with at times their caustic anecdotes and at others, their forgetfulness and "did that really happen moments". The central character would put Walter Mitty to shame, although at the end of the production I couldn't help but feel real sympathy for him. A funny, crazy, outlandish but touching tale of human frailities. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/02/24 Full Review Roger T A reasonably interesting story with some good animations - some of the recollections by former pupils were entertaining but the whole thing went on and on and on and on. Fairly underwhelming on the whole. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 12/13/23 Full Review Tristan C A fascinating and unbelievable story and well delivered albeit a little lengthly for my liking. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/01/23 Full Review Greg R This is an incredible story. Even more incredible are the kind hearts of those who had been had. See this. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
My Old School

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1993, 16-year-old Brandon Lee enrolled at Bearsden Academy, a secondary school in a well-to-do suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. What followed over the next two years would become the stuff of legend. Brandon had been privately tutored in Canada while he accompanied his mother, an opera diva, on tour before her tragic death. The preternaturally bright student surprised teachers by blazing toward his goal of entering medical school, displaying a wealth of knowledge beyond his years. Brandon found friends despite his initial awkwardness, taking bullied students under his wing, introducing classmates to seminal retro bands, and even starring in the school's production of South Pacific. But then his unbelievable secret was revealed. Filmmaker Jono McLeod returns to his old school for a nostalgic look at the strange but true story of his former classmate, Brandon Lee. Utilizing playful, period-specific animation, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, the memories of students and teachers, and the talents of Alan Cumming to bring the tale to life, My Old School offers more than one surprise along the way.
Director
Jono McLeod
Producer
John Archer, Olivia Lichtenstein
Screenwriter
Jono McLeod
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Hopscotch Films
Genre
Documentary, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 22, 2022, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA)
$103.4K
Runtime
1h 44m
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