The Scottish romcom isn’t an overly saturated market. There is the undisputed classic Gregory’s Girl, the legendarily bad Scottish Mussel, and a load of Highland castle-set Hallmark fluff cashing in on the Outlander boom. There is more than enough room, therefore, for a contemporary and relatively grounded Scottish take on the well-worn format, and Premature makes a decent fist of it, even if its ultimately let down by a slightly awkward script and some baffling narrative decisions.

After a largely forgettable one-night stand with her flatmate Cameron (James Rottger), art-school dropout Eilidh (Elle Watson) discovers she’s pregnant. Ultimately deciding to keep the baby, the two friends must decide what they are to each other, and of course, discovering who they are themselves along the way.

Debut filmmaker Kevin Walls (also writer, producer and cinematographer) has come up with an intriguing variant on the formula that dispenses with meet cutes in favour of an evolution of an existing, platonic relationship. Cameron and Eilidh make a likeable pair, with Elle Watson in particular proving an appealing screen presence.  And while it is clearly a low-budget affair, it looks far better than a film costing a paltry £16000 has any right to, indicating Walls is something of a whizz with limited resources. He certainly makes the most of Glasgow’s unique character and acknowledges the Kelvingrove is actually in that city (Paddington hard stare at Sunshine On Leith).

It’s a shame then that the script is a little lacking, particularly when the premise is so good. There is a slightly stagey quality to the writing that gives a slilted air to the line delivery, despite the actors’ best efforts. This is compounded by some bafflingly poor decision making regarding Eilidh’s character. As her pregnancy progresses. Presented as a level-headed, pragmatic woman, she briefly becomes – for plot reasons – a crazed housebreaker, demanding Cameron help her steal a secondhand cot she believes should be theirs.

It’s indicative of Walls’ haphazard approach to some of the tropes of the genre. It feels like a nod to the Manic Pixie Dream Girl archetype, but it falls short both as a character moment and in terms of its intended tone. There is also the slovenly male friend for him, and the sardonic female condidente for her, but both are largely brief and forgettable figures, their inclusion suggesting they’re there because Walls thinks they should. Much better however, is Andrew Rodger as Cameron’s wise and loving dad. The scenes between father and son perhaps ring the most true of any in the film.

Ultimately, Premature is a film of competing instincts. Walls clearly has a slightly offbeat sensibility but seems to be inclined to temper it with the inclusion of some not entirely whole-hearted genre conventions. There are, of course, limited directions one can go with a romcom, but if he can let just enough of his freak flag fly (while keeping his protoganists somewhat consistent), then his next feature will be one worth watching. There is certainly enough good things about Premature to warrant a far bigger budget.

In selected cinemas from Fri 18 Sep 2026