If you were to Google Brandon Lee, chances are you will see pages on Bruce Lee’s late son, who died on the set of The Crow in 1993. However, it is also the same name of a 32-year-old man who passed himself as a teenager at his old school in Glasgow and effectively fooled his classmates and teachers for a year. Nearly 15 years after his story broke across Scotland, Brandon Lee’s story is the subject of My Old School, a British documentary by Jono McLeod.
Featuring former classmates and teachers of Bearsden Academy, Lee’s old school, the documentary charts Lee’s awkward life at the school and how the revelations on his true identity unfolded while continuing to unravel the still existing mystery of the ‘real’ Brandon Lee.
In a fitting move, Lee remains hidden throughout My Old School. Despite some archive footage, Lee’s account is audibly delivered and brilliantly lip-synched by Alan Cumming (who, coincidentally, was tied to a biopic about Lee), as he subtly captures the apprehension of the unseen Lee while trying to create a compelling rapport with the audience: this kid was placed in a school after the tragic death of his opera singer mother and he is left to be raised by his grandmother. His American accent and posh appearance (think Will from The Inbetweeners) already made him a fish out of water before he stepped into the classroom yet he was destined to be one of Bearsden Academy’s most prolific students.
But the real surprise of the documentary is how the students and faculty are so quick to accept that Lee is of high school age. Although his fellow classmates admit to misgivings from his appearance, Lee is quick to disarm them while impressing his teachers through his maturity and knowledge. The fact that he had a car also made him super-popular, so we are left to assume that Lee was either really convincing or his peers were easily swayed by being able to go anywhere – despite him professing that he had ‘hypnotic’ skills.
My Old School‘s charm, however, lies with the former students and teachers of Bearsden as their memories wonderfully capture the chaos of their school. Whether it is about the poshness of the area to the teacher’s nicknames, they bring a nostalgic touch that is emphasised by whimsical animation sequences inspired by 1990s animated character Daria. Sitting among the interviewees is McLeod himself, sharing his own personal recollections of Lee and emphasising his attachment to the project. Despite a memorable role in South Pacific creating an uncomfortable trip down Memory Lane, this offers a down-to-Earth approach to the documentary and a need to recount this widely reported story from the ones who seemingly knew him best.
Despite the audacity of his actions, Lee comes across as a narcissistic and somewhat selfish person. He openly admits not seeing the people he spent a better part of a year as his friends and he seems solely focused on his goal to become a doctor – despite successfully getting into medical school, only to inexplicably drop out and miss the window to become a licensed medical professional. By the end of the documentary, Lee remains deadset on getting his licence, portraying him as an unrepentant protagonist.
With its evocative animation sequences and Cumming’s charming performance, My Old School is a simple yet touching film about an extraordinary lie.
Rating: 
Director: Jono Macleod
Runtime: 104 minutes
Country: UK
