Sixteen Years of Alcohol

The debut film of occasional TV presenter, author and journalist Richard Jobson's Sixteen Years of Alcohol is the self-penned account of a misspent youth. Kevin McKid plays Frankie, an Edinburgh kid whose heroic dreams of his father are shattered after he learns of his cheap womanising ways. His teenage years set in motion an addiction to booze and violence, which threatens to define his life. However, options are presented with AA and the love of a good woman - Helen (Fraser).

Although gloriously shot, the film's incessantly downbeat nature means that the endurance is likely to be stretched by the nature and order of events. The pacing of the film isn't helped by the overly elaborate voice over and the melancholic tone. Performance wise, the actors are impressive, with McKidd and Lynch the standouts. But the brooding, self-conscious nature of the film and the fact that our hero, even after his years of self-abuse, is still a hit with the ladies proves a narrative joust too far.