Why Local Hero Is Cameron Crowe’s Top Pick for Personal Filmmaking

Cameron Crowe has always thrown himself into his work, making films that feel close to home. From the get-go, he’s been all in—just look at Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which he wrote after spending time undercover as a high school student. That sort of dedication is rare, and it’s clear Crowe values it in other filmmakers as well. His 2000 film, Almost Famous, drew on his own teenage years writing for Rolling Stone, but instead of making it all about himself, he managed to show a real sense of empathy for everyone involved, from the musos to the hangers-on.

In recent years, Crowe’s output has slowed, but that just shows how picky he is about what he puts out. Back in 2016, he shared his top five films, and among them was Bill Forsyth’s 1983 comedy, Local Hero. Crowe didn’t hold back, calling it

“the holy grail of personal filmmaking”

and urging Forsyth to make a comeback.

Small Town, Big Heart

Set in the northeast of Scotland, Local Hero follows a bloke from Houston, Mac, who’s sent by his oil company to a tiny coastal village. His job? Convince the locals to sell up so the company can build a refinery. But as Mac spends time with the townsfolk, he finds himself drawn into their world, full of quirks and oddball routines. It’s a story that’s been done before, usually in a way that’s a bit too sweet for its own good. But Forsyth’s style is different—he’s known for tossing in random moments that don’t push the story forward but end up being the bits you remember most.

There’s a main storyline, sure, but it’s the little interactions that stick with you. Mac gets smitten with a marine biologist who might just be a mermaid, and he strikes up a friendship with a Soviet fisherman who drops by to see his accountant. There are plenty of scenes with people in chunky jumpers wandering the beach, picking up shells, and staring out at the waves. It sounds a bit dreamy, but it’s actually more gripping than you’d expect.

Character Over Plot

Forsyth, a Scot himself, admitted he never built his films around a plot. Instead, he focused on characters and the small things that happen to them. Most of Local Hero was rewritten on the fly, with the cast and crew living together in the village, which probably helped give the film its real, lived-in feel. The result is a film that feels less like a story being told and more like you’re just hanging out with a bunch of mates. When it’s over, you’re left wanting to jump straight back in.

Maybe that’s why Local Hero has stuck around for so long. Like a good sitcom, it’s not about big changes or dramatic twists. It’s about the comfort of spending time with people you grow to care about, even if nothing much happens. Crowe’s praise for the film isn’t just about its story, but about the way it captures those small, authentic moments that make you want to come back for more.