4. Ewan McGregor Movie Review: Nothing But The Truth (1995)
4. Ewan McGregor Movie Review: Nothing but the Truth (1995)
TRIGGER WARNING: In this review, I mention sexual violence because that is what this movie is about. I don't go into great detail. Still, if the topic of sexual violence/assault is triggering for you then this is your warning to scroll past.
Ewan McGregor's first project of 1995 was the pilot episode of British television series Kavanagh Q.C. titled "Nothing but the Truth." You might be asking yourself, "television series? I thought those were going to be excluded?" You're right and the reason I included this episode in our movie review list is because it has a runtime of an HOUR AND FORTY-ONE MINUTES. Where I come from, we call that a movie. The episode is also a standalone project, meaning that you don't need to watch the whole series or even an additional episode to finish the plot or understand the narrative. Everything you need to know for the episode happens in the episode.
A couple fun facts before we get started!
In this project, Ewan works alongside Geraldine James again. You might remember her from our previous review as the ex-jazz singer in "Doggin' Around." I thought that was cool! Here, she plays Eleanor Harker Q.C. (Queen's Counsel) who is the prosecutor attorney.
If you've ever heard Ewan say that he met his wife while working on a project, THIS is that project! This is where he met his first wife, Eve Mavrakis, who is credited as the Assistant Art Director. The episode aired January 3, 1995 and six months later they were wed.
Let's dive in!
Movie Review: "Nothing but the Truth" stars the late John Thaw as the titular Kavanagh Q.C. James Kavanagh is a senior barrister and arguably the best. While he couldn't be more adept at his job as a barrister, the same cannot be said for his job as a husband and father. The demands of these roles pull him in different directions and cause friction between him and his wife. The main plot is about an affluent young man accused of sexually assaulting the woman for whom he works. Naturally, it's a he said/she said situation. He claims that it was a consensual fling while she claims the opposite. The evidence corroborates both of their stories to an extent which makes it even harder to know who is being honest. As one of the best lawyers in Britain, Kavanagh is tasked with defending the accused. Unfortunately, defending a man accused of rape only creates more cracks in the foundation of his familial relationships. Armed with his intellect and belief in the inherent goodness of man, Kavanagh is determined to find nothing but the truth.
Ewan Review: Ewan plays the character David Armstrong who is our young man accused of sexual assault. He has a posh English accent and is incredibly soft-spoken. He also has a stutter which sounds a bit forced at times. This role is my absolute favorite for his long, silky, hair era! We get a few shots of it in the half-up/half-down style but for the majority of the film it's all down. They must have given him a full on blow out because that hair was thick, long, and luscious! His hair needed it's own acting credit. Ewan also showcases his acting skills really well in this role. I've felt for a long time that Ewan performs best in roles that require subtlety and he does a great job in this one. On a more critical note, even though he often plays characters who are depicted in a negative light, those stories tend to require you to suspend your disbelief. That is not the case with this movie. This is a serious topic and the movie handles it with the seriousness it deserves. If Ewan brings you comfort and you only engage with his more wholesome roles, then this might not be for you. There are no graphic depictions of sex in the movie but there is sexual audio twice and in the court scenes the characters go into detail about the incident.
Screentime Percentage (All numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number): Ewan is on screen for a grand total of 21/101 minutes making his SP 21%.
To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is this movie worth watching for Ewan content alone? Yes, even with the low percentage! Again, his hair is *chef's kiss* 🤌. We get to see him sweaty and working in the dirt as well as dressed up in a three piece suit. There's also a brief makeout scene and shirtless scene. Is the movie worth watching in general? This is very difficult for me to say but my answer is no. My opinion is that the movie is /only/ worth watching for Ewan. If he wasn't in it or was in it even less then it'd be a skip for me. The premise is interesting but the movie can be slow in places. Also, maybe it's just because this was the pilot episode or the legal system being different in Britain, but there were significant issues not addressed in the court scenes that make the ending a little less satisfying. If you like crime shows, then you might like this regardless of the Ewan factor. But be warned, this is not a flashy, fast-paced drama like Law and Order SVU or Criminal Minds. It's an old, British, drama about an old lawyer.
Where to Watch: "Nothing but the Truth" is currently uploaded for free on YouTube through the channel "Ewan McGregor Vault". Just search "Kavanagh Q.C. Nothing But the Truth with Ewan McGregor". If you want to watch the full series, all episodes are also uploaded for free on a YouTube playlist through the channel "o p i u m 1". Just search "Kavanagh Qc".
Conclusion: "Nothing but the Truth" is a hidden gem in Ewan McGregor's career. Unlike other crime shows I've seen, this movie was unique in that there wasn't very much information the audience had that the characters didn't. You really have to pay attention, trust your gut, and hope the verdict is the right one. This also makes the movie great for rewatches because you'll start to notice things in the background that add to the story. I highly suggest watching this with another person because if you're like me, you're going to have a lot to talk about as the truth is revealed.
More Posts from Loycspotting and Others
14. Ewan McGregor Movie Review: Little Voice (1998)
(sorry, everyone there's not a gif to use for the movie this time! 😭)
Fun Facts!
Philipp Jackson works alongside Ewan again in this movie in a minor role. They worked together on the movie "Brassed Off!"
Jim Broadbent is part of the supporting cast as the character Mr. Boo. He will reunite with Ewan to film "Moulin Rouge!"
The titular character, Little Voice, is played by Jane Horrocks who performs her own songs! They did not hire an impressionist for her to lip sync to; she's just that talented! She also played this role seven years earlier for the stage play version.
Genre: Comedy/Musical
Rating: R
Director: Mark Herman
Starring: Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn
Synopsis: "Little Voice" is about a young lady (Jane Horrocks), nicknamed Little Voice due to her whispery manner of speaking. She rarely talks and is so shy that she never leaves her house. The only thing that brings her joy is listening to music. Her mother (Brenda Blethyn) is the exact opposite. She's loud, talkative, and unfortunately, doesn't think Little Voice is good for anything. When a talent scout discovers that Little Voice has a gift for impersonating famous singers, all he sees are dollar signs. He just has to convince this girl with a tiny personality to share with the world her larger than life brilliance.
Ewan Review: Ewan McGregor plays the character Billy. Like Little Voice, Billy is a man of few words. While music is the only thing on her mind, his is constantly preoccupied with his pigeons. When he meets Little Voice for the first time he is immediately intrigued by her and tries to get to know the meek young lady. Ewan isn't given much to do in this movie. His character is shy so he doesn't have many lines. He's mostly relegated to being the quiet awkward guy in the background. If you're looking for Ewan content, then I suggest you keep looking. You could call Little Voice a love interest, I suppose. I don't see their relationship that way but that's just my opinion. He doesn't have any kissing, sex, or nude scenes. I believe he speaks in a Yorkshire accent for the movie. His awkwardness is cute and relatable and he performs a heroic act towards the end of the movie. I think acting wise he gives a good performance.
Screentime Percentage: Ewan is on screen for a grand total of 14/97 minutes making his SP 14%.
To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan content alone? Unfortunately, no. He's just a minor character without much screentime or lines. Is the movie worth watching in general? Yes. It's a charming movie with a talented cast.
Where to Watch: "Little Voice" is available for rent on YouTube, Google Play Movies and TV, Fandango at Home, and Amazon Prime Video.
Closing Thoughts: I feel I have the responsibility to point out that the characters Billy and Little Voice are considered "abnormal" by the people around them. They don't understand social cues, they don't make a lot of eye contact, they barely talk and when they do, it's only about the specific interest they have, and they have unusual mannerisms. In other words, while the movie doesn't explicitly give them a label, I think they're meant to be autistic or at the very least are coded that way. I'm bringing it up because I don't know if the actors are on the spectrum but I've heard from those who are that the autistic community has often been hurt by even the most well-meaning depictions of the neurodivergent. I'm not autistic so I don't think it's fair for me to say whether the actors performance was harmful in their depiction or if it was done well and respectfully. All I can do is give you a heads up so that you aren't blindsided if you decide to watch it.
The Ewan McGregor Screentime Percentage (EMSP) List
I thought it'd be helpful to make a list for the movies that I've reviewed so far. I will update it as new reviews are posted. Unfortunately, I'm not yet able to add links to direct you to the full review. The letters EMSP stand for " Ewan McGregor Screentime Percentage" which is how long he spends on screen in a given movie. It is ordered from his highest screentime percentage to lowest. I hope this helps those looking for a new Ewan movie to watch!
Young Adam (2003): 70% (69 / 1 hr. 38 min.)
2. Rogue Trader (1999): 69% (65 / 1 hr. 34 min.)
3. Nora (2000): 56% (60 / 1 hr. 47 min.)
4. Trainspotting (1996): 55% (52 / 1 hr. 34 min.)
5. Nightwatch (1997): 51% (52 / 1 hr. 42 min.)
6. A Life Less Ordinary (1997): 51% (53 / 1 hr. 44 min.)
7. Eye of the Beholder (1999): 47% (48 / 1 hr. 42 min.)
8. Down with Love (2003): 46% (47 / 1 hr. 42 min.)
9. Shallow Grave (1994): 44% (41 / 1 hr. 33 min.)
10. The Serpent's Kiss (1997): 42% (44 / 1 hr. 46 min.)
11. Moulin Rouge! (2001): 40% (51 / 2 hrs. 8 min.)
12. Brassed Off (1996): 24% (26 / 1 hr. 47 min.)
13. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002): 23% (33 / 2 hrs. 22 min)
14. Blue Juice (1995): 22% (22 / 1 hr. 39 min)
15. The Pillow Book (1996): 22% (28 / 2 hrs. 7 min.)
16. Nothing but the Truth (1995): 21% (21 / 1 hr. 41 min.)
17. Velvet Goldmine (1998): 17% (20 / 1 hr. 58 min.)
18. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999): 17% (23 / 2 hrs. 16 min.)
19. Little Voice (1998): 14% (14 / 1 hr. 37 min)
20. Doggin' Around (1995): 11% (10 / 1 hr. 29 min.)
21. Emma (1996): 11% (13 / 2 hrs. 1 min.)
22. Being Human (1994): 2% (2 / 2 hrs. 2 min.)
Bought my first Ewan McGregor movie at the thrift store!!!
I randomly decided to look through the DVDs today and I saw this gem! Here's to the beginning of my Ewan McGregor movie collection🍻 @palfriendpatine66
This is my first poll! Something new I want to start doing before posting the EMSP.
I need this tattooed inside my eyelids jesus christ!
priest gerard way 🛐
Okay so here's my unsolicited thoughts:
I'm thinking these particular options are meant to represent the weakest songs of each artists discography. I'm only saying that because I've noticed that the MCR fandom dogs on Teenagers (overplayed maybe?) and that the PatD fans think High Hopes was booty cheeks. I don't know nothing about FOB fandom but I'm going to assume based on the other two that Centuries isn't a fan favorite either.
So the opponents in this brawl are all very weak already. Now, we have to decide who is the weakest of the weak. 🧐 Remember! (For me) This isn't about which song is more POPULAR, it's about which song can PHYSICALLY overpower the other two, hence them being in a fight.
Okay so immediately, I think Teenagers is getting knocked out cold. The song is a flee-er not a fighter and that's okay. 😌 The song is about a grown man being scared to death at the mere presence of children so it's getting eliminated easily.
Next on the chopping block is High Hopes. I think High Hopes would put up a very respectable fight and give it everything it's got. The song is about believing in yourself and chasing your dreams no matter the odds. It's very plucky and optimistic and therefore I think it's willing to get into fisticuffs if something is blocking it's path to success. However, it also has a very starry-eyed innocence to it. I think that just because it's willing to fight doesn't mean it's capable of WINNING a fight. So, after a courageous effort, it would be eliminated.
Which means I think the winner of the brawl would be Centuries! It has a similar theme to High Hopes but has the guts and maturity that High Hopes lacks. It has a very Naruto-ish "I will become Hokage no matter what, believe it!" energy which gives it the edge it needs to take the crown.
So there's my thoughts on the matter! I'm so happy cuz I love overthinking about fun polls like this! 😁
I don't want to go to sleep. I want to keep thinking about Ewan McGregor 😔 why god why?
Fun. That's what the fuck Down with Love had going on. Fun! We need movies that will be unashamedly fun and quirky and just plain silly again. Not sarcastic. Not making fun of itself (or the audience) because it knows it's "cringe" and is embarrassed about it. Just let movies be full-blown wacky and ridiculous! It doesn't need to justify why it's that way. Embrace the weird! Be fun!
we need to bring back to cinema whatever the FUCK down with love had going on
Random Idea
Here's something I've been thinking about: A hyper-fixation hotline! Maybe these already exist. Honestly I didn't look it up lol. I'm currently obsessed with Ewan McGregor so what if you could call the hotline, tell the dispatcher your interest, (i.e. Subject: Celebrities. Topic: Ewan McGregor) and then you'd be connected to someone you can talk to about him! Cuz like, I don't want to just talk TO people about my fave. I'm thankful for those that listen but they don't understand or can't get invested because they're not interested in him like I am. A lot of the stuff I talk about is their first time hearing it. I wanna talk WITH someone about Ewan. Someone who has also watched his movies, and listened to his interviews, and wrote fanfiction etc etc! So that I'm not just rambling to a patient stranger but I'm having a conversation with someone who gets it! Tumblr has been a godsend when it comes to finding people who share your interest, absolutely. I also wanna talk on the phone so I can satisfy the human connection hole I have. Like being able to hear someone's voice and then laugh or get excited or whatever. I need that. Anyway, just something I've been thinking about. For what it's worth, if you're a die hard Ewan McGregor fan and you stumble across this, then take this as permission to talk to me about Ewan! If you've wanted someone to ramble to then I'm that guy!
today was terrible. My job gets the credit for that. I'm genuinely scared about tomorrow and am probably going to eat my feelings to cope which I don't want to do but I don't know what ELSE to do.
HOWEVER! I'm determining to find one good thing that happened every day and writing it down and today there was one really good thing.
My friend had a heart attack a few weeks back. Last week she was cleared to come back to work and it's nice seeing her again. She's doing better which is wonderful. During her hospitalization and recovery, I'd reach out to her and chat, offer encouragement, or assistance if necessary. Just being a friend. She was really moved by this and today she surprised me with a beautiful gold cross necklace to show her appreciation! I was stunned. She asked if it was something I would wear and I told her I'd wear it immediately lol. And I did! I put it on right there and finished my shift wearing it. I never expected anything in return for being there for her. That's what friends do and her friendship is more than enough. Still, I'm honored by her gesture and will cherish this necklace forever.
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