My Old School

MacKinnon enrolls at Bearsden as an unusually old pupil. Fellow students remark that he looks older and speaks with a deeper voice. A teacher mentions a car crash as a possible reason for his aged skin, and his Canadian upbringing explains his accent.

In class he is portrayed as incredibly knowledgeable and unafraid to show what he knows. Peers marvel at his intellect, and teachers hint at an exceptionally high IQ from an early age. His Canadian upbringing explains the distinctive accent that marks him out.

The Bearsden school production of South Pacific sees him play Lieutenant Cable, boosting his social cachet. He sings well and uses a convincing accent, which elevates his standing among peers. A kiss with his 16-year-old co-star becomes a talking point, with remarks about reluctance and 'no tongues' noted.

He finishes exams with top grades and accepts a place at medical school. Teachers advise him to wait until he is older for university, but he ignores the advice and continues toward medicine. This choice foreshadows the deception that drives much of the film’s narrative.

He begins medical studies at the University of Dundee but soon withdraws. Five friends visit him to ask why, and he explains that his grandmother has died and that he needs time out. This pause marks the start of a long deception about his life.

Jemma invites him on a group holiday with Cheryl and Nicola. He ends up in a fight and is arrested, and police findings reveal two passports, fueling the official version of events that later comes to light. The incident becomes a focal point for the unraveling story.

Back at Bearsden, the former head teacher confronts MacKinnon with the 1975 report card showing top grades. The revelation bursts into the six o'clock news, triggering widespread attention and interviews with teachers who taught him in the 70s. The past moves from rumor to public record.

The film explains why the deception occurred: medicine could not be pursued after age 30, so he returned to school under a false premise. It is revealed that the supposed grandmother was alive and, in fact, his mother, who had used the 'gran' alias to facilitate various situations. These revelations reframe much of what the audience has seen.

The film clarifies that the holiday fight, the police encounter, and the two passports were rumors rather than documented events. He told the girls he was 32 and asked them to keep it secret, a deliberate fabrication tied to his backstory. The truth gradually reframes the entire narrative they had accepted.

Near the film's end, footage from the school play is shown. Brandon's singing is awkward, and the kiss lasts several seconds, with the adult co-star visibly uncomfortable. The scene underscores the troubling tension between performance and reality.

The documentary reveals that the 'gran' who helped cover stories was actually MacKinnon's mother, not his grandmother. The supposed absence had been a ruse, and the family dynamics underpin many earlier events. This revelation reframes the entire relationship web surrounding his life at Bearsden.

The film ends by showing the former pupils in their adult lives, looking forward rather than back. MacKinnon continues to apply for medical school and may have undergone cosmetic changes to alter his appearance. The audience is left with a sense of unresolved questions about identity and reconciliation with the past.