Movie buffs have come to know actor Peter Mullan, star of  On a Clear Day, as a rather intense figure. Be it his complex performances in films like Young Adam and The Claim or as the writer/director of the intensely tragic The Magdalene Sisters, the stoic Scotsman has built his career upon venturing often into the deep end of the dramatic swimming pool. This is why Mullan fans will probably be thrown for a loop with On a Clear Day, a British dramedy that represents one of the man's lightest cinematic jaunts yet. The film isn't without its somber scenes, but it incorporates some more jovial moments, and thanks to Mullan taking on his role with the same sincerity he's brought to other projects, the movie emerges as a sweet success.

Mullan plays Frank, a middle-aged, working-class guy who's reached a crossroads in his life. After being let go from his job as a shipbuilder, Frank finds that he's not content to embark on early retirement or start looking for a new job quite yet. Thus one day, Frank finds himself struck with a crazy idea that only people in the movies seem to get: he decides to swim the English Channel. Seeing it as a perfect opportunity to commit himself to something and prove his worth, Frank gathers up a bunch of friends, including a goofy former co-worker (Billy Boyd) and a shy fish-and-chips shop owner (Benedict Wong), and starts training to take on the Channel's icy waters. At the same time, though, Frank finds himself dealing with mounting personal troubles, from an already distant relationship with his son (Jamie Sives) to hiding his goal of swimming the Channel from his worried wife (Brenda Blethyn). He becomes set on a course to conquer both physical and emotional obstacles. 

On a Clear Day is in the same spirit as films like The Full Monty and Calendar Girls, a British import balancing  comedy, drama, and a story that, even though you know in your heart what's going to happen, is charming enough to keep you interested. It works mostly because of the actors, who don't look down upon their characters' more predictable traits but rather use their talents to highlight their strengths and make them all the more admirable. Standing ahead of the pack is Mullan, who delivers a strong, convincing performance -- a very tender turn perfectly expressing the character's inner conflicts without heading into shameless Oscar-bait territory.

Mullan is quiet yet intense, low-key but effective, and sympathetic without begging the audience to like the character. By his side, lending solid support, is Brenda Blethyn, whose character has a secret or two herself (specifically trying to become a bus driver, something that would upset the stubborn Frank) but who loves her husband and worries about their marriage worsening following a past tragedy that hit them hard. On a Clear Day is a rather simple film that depends more on character interactions and emotions than on big theatrics, but Mullan and Blethyn are up to the task of playing off one another and slowly bringing their inner feelings to the surface.

On a Clear Day isn't a perfect film. It suffers from a case of predictability that drags down the film's pacing, making certain scenes seem more slow-moving than they are, and it includes a handful of subplots that seem mashed together and covered only briefly (pretty much all of Frank's friends get their own little side story, although they probably would have worked better simply as colorful side characters). Fortunately, thanks to two strong leading performances, a sweet story, and gorgeous cinematography that captures the subtle beauty of Frank's world, On a Clear Day turns out to be a much more warm, involving. and inspirational film than it could have been in lesser hands.

MY RATING: *** (out of ****)

(Released by Focus Features and rated "PG-13" for some language.)