Cyclists unite! The Flying Scotsman is an underdog tale with wheels. The complications surrounding it's production had somewhat overshadowed the film itself as it launched the opening of the Edinburgh Film Festival. However, the film has mainstream appeal and is a must-see for all cyclists.

Based on a true story, this feature captures the excitement of competition cycling and contrasts it with the melancholy of a depressed mind. Jonny Lee Miller (who you may remember as Sick Boy in Trainspotting) plays the charismatic Grahame Obree, a mad keen cyclist who won't take no for an answer. Growing up in the estates of Glasgow, and using cycling to escape his past, Obree has dreams of breaking the world Hour record. With the help of his buddy Malky (Billy Boyd) and his devoted wife (Laura Fraser), Obree builds a new style of bike, 'Old Faithful' with bits of BMXs and a washing machine.

His attempts on various world records act a rite of passage for him to deal with his undiagnosed depression. On the one hand is a magnificent athlete, on the other, a suffering mind with ingrained feelings of inadequacy. In a way, this is a film of contradictions. How can such an athletic genius feel such melancholy?

The ups and downs of the story are cleverly balanced. The euphoria of cycling is played against the loneliness of an isolated mind. Anyone who has pelted through city traffic on their bike will understand the essence of Obree's euphoria and need for speed. There is solidarity between cyclists, and The Flying Scotsman reveals this for all non-cyclists to see. Overall, Obree's focus and determination to cycle his way to the top makes this a riveting story of Scottish innovation. Told with a generous dash of sentiment, it brought a lump to my throat and made me want to get on my bike...