Hector has been living in and around the motorways for the last 15 years. His once comfortable family life has been replaced by a never-ending tour of service stations that offer him shelter, anonymity, washing facilities and food.

The narrative centres around his journey south from Scotland on his annual pilgrimage to a temporary Christmas shelter in London where he finds comfort, friendship and warmth.

Over the course of his odyssey, Hector decides to reconnect with his long estranged past. As his previous life catches up with him, the story of how he came to be leading an alternative life begins to emerge......

When we first meet the titular character, he is cleaning himself up in a service station lavatory, and I was sure that he was late for an interview, because this man doesn't dress like you stereotypical 'homeless person'.

And this is the fundamental message that this film carries.

We walk past these people on a daily basis, usually ignoring them or hoping you don't make eye contact with them, but this film is saying that these people have a story, these people have a life, and in Hectors case, these people have a lot of self respect.

Mullan is terrific as the titular character, one of the most sincere characters he's ever played, if you've seen some of his performances, you know he can be truly terrifying. This is another terrific aspect to the film. Because of the actors career, you instantly think that Hector has the potential to 'kick off', so all the different situations Hector finds himself in always have a certain air of tension.

And these situations act as a sort of anthology mini film as we follow the story complete. Some of his encounters are kind, some are bitter, and some are downright embarrassing for the people he encounters, but never once does Hector resent anybody or anything.

This is a man who has literally lost everything, so in some strange way, he's at peace with the world.

Even though the film is set at Christmas, it's not trying to be your atypical Christmas movie, with a saccharine ending, it's just a pleasant film about a pleasant character who unfortunately has been labelled by society.

Worth seeing.

Sympathetic portrayal of the homeless problem in our world.

Hector. A film starring the brilliant Peter Mullan as a homeless Glaswegian who embarks on his annual pilgrimage to a London shelter for christmas with his fellow homeless friends. A beautiful study of human kindness set amongst inner demons and long lost loved ones. A life affirming 8 out of ten