Director: David MacKenzie
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Mortimer, Puter Mullan, Tilda Swinton
Release date: 26 September 2003
Running time: 98 minutes
Certificate: 18

What's it about?
Set in a steamy Glasgow of the early 1950s, Young Adam focuses on the existential crisis of Joe (Ewan McGregor), a rootless young drifter who finds work on a barge owned by the down-to-earth Les (Peter Mullan) and his enigmatic wife Ella (Tilda Swinton). One afternoon, whilst working, Joe and Les find the corpse of a young woman floating in the water.

As the police investigate the case, and a suspect is arrested, it becomes evident that Joe knows more about the drowned woman than he's letting on. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of this mysterious death and the murder investigation, Joe and Ella embark on an intimate and passionate affair.

Is it any good?
Here's what Entertainment editor Ronita Dutta thought of Young Adam:

"While I enjoyed watching Young Adam - largely due to outstanding performances from McGregor and Swinton - I couldn't help but feel that there was something seriously lacking. I wasn't convinced that the motivations behind the characters' actions were adequately set up, which made the plot seem flimsy. Even at the end of the movie, you never really get to the bottom of Joe's existential crisis. Instead, you end up feeling that he was a rather unpleasant, sexually-obsessed layabout who could do with a good wash.

"Young Adam has that dull, gritty, realistic quality that only British films ever seem to have. All well and good, if you're a Mike Leigh fan, and like your movies to have a warts 'n' all feel. If not, steer well clear. The sex scenes, in particular, are likely to raise a few eyebrows, even if you don't consider yourself a prude - no airbrushing or soft focus in sight, and at least one scene involving custard, spanking and tomato ketchup."

Marks out of 10: 4