Led an unmerry dance

Anyone who has visited the Outer Hebrides will tell you it can be a very bleak, foreboding place. So, just imagine what it was like living in small, cut-off villages back in 1914?

I have no doubt it was a rough existence indeed – and The Road Dance reflects this. In fact, the bleakness of the surroundings mirrors the darkness of the story.

HOLDING BACK: "outsider" Mark Gatiss (centre) may not be all he seems to be in The Road Dance.

Set on the eve of the Great War, we are quickly introduced to young Kirsty Macleod, sensitivity played by Hermione Corfield, who experiences two tragic events which will have lifelong consequences. Based on a true story, the events that befall this innocent young girl affect not only her – but her family and the whole community.

TRUE TO THE WORD: the film is faithful to the popular book written by author, John Mackay.

Simply directed by Richie Adams, this film also introduces us to an eclectic group of characters who may be – or may not be – involved in the central plot: Skipper is a reclusive old fisherman, while Mark Gatiss, the village doctor, is “an outsider” from the mainland, who plays a pivotal role giving nothing away about his character's real nature.

Meanwhile, Will Fletcher is the young man Kirsty is fated to fall in love with. Alas, he is sent off to fight and we do see some very effectively shot scenes in the trenches that bring his part of the tale to life.

IN LOVE: Kirsty McLeod falls head over heels for France-bound Will Fletcher.

This whole film could easily be dismissed as a very depressing experience although those who have read John Mackay's book will know there is an uplift at the end.

Beautifully shot and showcasing the breathtaking beauty of the Isle of Lewis, Adams's character-based drama will certainly be worth seeing when it is released in the UK on 20 May.

Andy Godfrey is Sorted's film critic and a member of the Mark Kermode Appreciation Society.