A lighter watch today in the form of a musical, actually a British musical film that focuses on American country music. This falls solidly under the familiar genre of aspiring singer reaches for stardom and this is not an ideal playground in which to search for great cinema. All the same, this is good enough entertainment with a dramatic arc that is decent enough.

Rose-Lynn Harlan is released from a stint in prison and returns to her home in Glasgow where her mother Marion has been caring for her two young children. She is eager to restart her career as a singer and still dreams of making it big in Nashville but her ambitions clash with the practicalities of day to day life and having to raise children of her own. Eventually she is forced to take up a job as a day cleaner for a rich couple. She lucks out however as the wife recognizes her talents and tries to help her, despite Rose-Lynn’s own irreverent and combative attitude. Marion however wants her to grow up and put her priority on her two children, especially as they have both grown distant and distrustful of their frequently absent mother. Indeed even as she works with her employer to get a big break, she seems to prefer to pretend that she doesn’t have children at all as she goes about life with headphones in her ears and a head full of country music.

This version updates the usual formula so it’s no longer about a ingénue just embarking on life but instead a young woman who is already weighed down by worries and responsibilities but still harbors big dreams. This tension does give the film a bit more heft even if it feels a bit off at first as Rose-Lynn’s singing is all about the usual country music themes of freedom and living a simple life. It’s not perfect as her employer is implausibly generous and tolerant of her being not much of a domestic worker and she gets too easy a pass out of life’s complications but at least it doesn’t fall into the more egregious traps. I like for example that however talented Rose-Lynn may be, it doesn’t shy away from showing that she is just one of innumerable hopefuls who are just as talented and dedicated. I also love the Glasgow setting and the strange phenomenon of a girl who speaks Scottish English but sings in what is essentially American. The film tacks on a joke about how her speech is incomprehensible in the US but from what I can tell, they actually tamp down on the Glasgow patter here so it actually is understandable for the most part.

I’m not a big fan of country music but lead actress Jessie Buckley’s singing ability is undeniable. The tunes are good and the original song Glasgow is memorable. This at least ensures that it makes for appealing entertainment. It probably has greater resonance for those actually are country music fans who will understand the significance of sneaking into the Ryman Auditorium to sing. This isn’t a film that breaks the confines of its genre but it’s a good enough exemplar of it.