James Berardinelli gave the film three and a half stars out of four, calling it "a fragment of cinematic whimsy—a genial dramatic comedy that defies both our expectations and those of the characters". Berardinelli also focused on Forsyth's abilities as a storyteller, noting that the director "finds the perfect tone for this not-quite-a-fairy-tale set in a quaint seaside Scottish village named Ferness. By injecting a little (but not too much) magical realism into the mix, Forsyth leavens his pro-environmental message to the point that those not looking for it might not be conscious of its presence." Berardinelli concluded that Local Hero represents "the best kind of light fare: a motion picture that offers a helping of substance to go along with an otherwise frothy and undemanding main course".
The New York Times critic Janet Maslin wrote, "Genuine fairy tales are rare; so is film-making that is thoroughly original in an unobtrusive way. Bill Forsyth's quirky disarming Local Hero is both." Maslin concluded:
In Variety magazine, film critic Todd McCarthy wrote, "After making the grade internationally with the sleeper hit, Gregory's Girl, Scottish writer-director Bill Forsyth has broken the sophomore sesh jinx the only way he could, by making an even better film ... Given a larger canvas, director Forsyth has in no way attempted to overreach himself or the material, keeping things modest and intimate throughout, but displaying a very acute sense of comic insight."
Almar Haflidason called Local Hero "a wry film that slowly slips under the skin to surprising effect" in BBC Home. Haflidason concludes, "Once over, the mood of the film hits home and a longing develops to visit once again the characters of this warm and deceptively slight comedy."
For Movie Gazette, Gary Panton described the film as a "magical, intelligent comedy". Panton praised the cinematography as "little short of amazing" and that Local Hero was "Bill Forsyth's finest work of all, this is a perfect film."
During his 2000 campaign for the presidency, US Vice-president Al Gore told Oprah Winfrey in an interview that Local Hero was his favourite film.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 100% rating based on 42 reviews, with an average rating of 8.80/10. The site's consensus reads: "A charmingly low-key character study brought to life by a tremendously talented cast, Local Hero is as humorous as it is heartwarming". On Metacritic, the film has a score of 83 out of 100, based on reviews from 17 critics.
Some Scottish critics were less enthusiastic about the film, pointing out that it repeated and reinforced long-established cinematic representations of Scotland and the Scots and perpetuated a comforting but misleading narrative about Scotland's relationship with international capitalism. The Glasgow Women and Film Collective questioned what it saw as the film's male-oriented narrative about innocence and power and the marginal roles it accorded to women.
Box office
Local Hero earned $5,895,761 in total gross sales in the United States. It earned distributors gross of £487,437 in the UK.
Goldcrest Films invested £2,551,000 in the film and received £3,290,000, earning them a profit of £739,000.
Accolades
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="90%"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Nominee
! scope="col" | Result
|-
| rowspan="7" | 1984
| rowspan="7" | British Academy Film Awards
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role
| Burt Lancaster
|
|-
| Best Cinematography
| Chris Menges
|
|-
| Best Direction
| Bill Forsyth
|
|-
| Best Editing
| Michael Bradsell
|
|-
| Best Film
| David Puttnam
|
|-
| Best Film Music
| Mark Knopfler
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Bill Forsyth
|
|-
| 1983
| National Board of Review Awards
| Top Ten Films
| Local Hero
|
|-
| 1984
| National Society of Film Critics Awards
| Best Screenplay
| Bill Forsyth
|
|-
| 1984
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Screenplay
| Bill Forsyth
|
|}
Legacy
The minor planet 7345 Happer is named after Lancaster's character in the film and his quest to have a comet named after him.
The song "Going Home: The Theme of the Local Hero", from the soundtrack, is used as the walk-on music for Newcastle United F.C. at St James' Park. Mark Knopfler, the composer, grew up in Newcastle and is a fan of the club.
The same song is used at Tranmere Rovers F.C. following the final whistle of the match. This is due to the longstanding links between Birkenhead and Texas.
This film was inspiration for the television series Northern Exposure, as it was a favourite of series writer Joshua Brand.
In October 2025, the film was screened as 'Tribute to David Puttnam' at the 20th Rome Film Festival.
Stage musical adaptation
A stage musical based on the film premiered at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in 2019. The musical featured music and lyrics by Knopfler (writer of the film soundtrack) and a book by Bill Forsyth (original film screenwriter and director) and David Greig, and was directed by John Crowley.
See also
- BFI Top 100 British films
- List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
- Cinema of Scotland
References
External links
- Local Hero at Bill Forsyth website
- Local Hero: Our Man in Ferness an essay by Jonathan Murray at the Criterion Collection