I watched '80s Edinburgh movie Restless Natives and found out why it's a cult classic

Rebellious teenagers Will Bryce and Ronnie Witherspoon zoom around the Highlands on a Suzuki motorbike, 'holding up' tourist buses in non-violent raids inspired by folk hero Rob Roy.

It's impossible to truly 'get' Restless Natives without thinking about the context of the time.

The 1985 comedy set in Edinburgh may not have conquered the world commercially, but it became a bona fide cult classic which helped to pioneer Scottish cinema. The movie sees rebellious teenagers Will Bryce and Ronnie Witherspoon zoom around the Highlands on a Suzuki motorbike, 'holding up' tourist buses in non-violent raids inspired by folk hero Rob Roy.

Traversing the country with clown and wolf-man masks, the Wester Hailes youngsters gain international fame without anyone knowing their true identities - and to the chagrin of Scotland's nascent tourism sector.

The classic comedy follows two rebellious youths from Wester Hailes who become highwaymen.

It was one of the first films to declare its Scottish-ness loudly and proudly, having been released at a time of emerging national identity, industrial decline and demands for devolution.

As a member of Generation Z, no one will be surprised to hear that I have no first-hand recollection of the social background to Restless Natives. But there's nothing like a tale of adolescent shenanigans to transport you back to a distant time.

The soundtrack by Big Country does a great job of that as well, and the Fife rockers play a huge part in stting the film's unique atmosphere. So, having been assured of its legendary popularity from some longer-in-the-tooth film fans, I decided to take the plunge and give the Michael Hoffman-directed flick a watch.

It goes without saying that some of the acting on display isn't exactly Oscar-worthy. Indeed, I'd suggest one or two of the supporting cast's Scottish accents could have done with some work.

And the plot is full of many of the cliches you'd expect from a tale of its sort. But anyone judging the movie by modern standards is way off the mark. In fact, I would argue its imperfections are part of its charm.

What struck me as a younger viewer was that many of the themes it touches could well be just as relevant today. Will and Ronnie are well-aware that they are a pair of hard-up teens in a city of two halves, and there are surely many in the Capital who could relate to that experience now.

That's not to say anyone should take Restless Natives too seriously. Ultimately, it's a film that's designed to make us laugh and there are plenty of hilarious moments that will leave viewers in stitches.

Perhaps its most profound impact, though, has been the way it inspired generations of Scots to chart their course in the world of cinema. Along with other '80s classics like Local Hero and Highlander, the movie allowed would-be actors and actresses from across the country to dream big.

The nation's film sector exploded in the next decade with Trainspotting and Braveheart reaching Hollywood fame - and many would argue it was all down to the path paved by the two benevolent thieves, Will and Ronnie.