Ae Fond Kiss (12A)

Like Ken Loach's previous films set in Scotland, Ae Fond Kiss is a collaboration with screenwriter Paul Laverty.

However, this post-9/11 take on Romeo and Juliet brings a lighter touch to its tale of lives blighted by cruel fate and social stricture, enlivening its message with a witty, sensitive script and engaging performances.

As Irish schoolteacher Roisin and Pakistani DJ Casim, whose romance scandal-ises her church and his family, Eva Birthistle and Atta Yakub are as lushly photogenic as they are convincing, with Birthistle particularly impressive.

Their predicament is lent a riveting immediacy by Loach's peerless direction and a forthright, celebratory eroticism. The detail, both verbal and visual, is perfectly judged, imparting a gratifying completeness to an exceptionally confident and satisfying film.

© The Herald