Dog Days (2023), BBC Scotland, BBCiPlayer, written and directed by Jamie Price.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001sk36/dog-days-dog-days-60minute-version

This reminded me of the old BBC Play for Today. Gutsy dramas like Just Another Saturday or Just a Boy’s Game. Here’s the setup. Zoso (Conor McCarron), a Glaswegian beggar in Dundee, mugs another beggar. He steals his guitar, but leaves his donations and also steals the busker’s shoes. He explains, he didn’t want him chasing him.

He turns up at his old girlfriend’s door. She is unsympathetic. Zoso is out of prison and she’s got a new boyfriend. Zoso explains, he just wants to see his daughter, their child. He’s brought her a furry toy for her birthday.

Zoso lives on the streets. His best mates are a quine, Laura (Shannon Allan) and Billy (Billy Howe). They meet in an underpass. She is on the game and out of the game. Zoso tries to take care of her and warn them off street Valium.

Laura’s panderer fixer and his minder don’t like Zoso taking care of her. They deal drugs and sell her body, but somehow they both live in a tower block, perhaps they share separate bunk beds.

Zoso tries busking in the town centre. Grace (Lois Chimimba) a music tutor from Dundee College films him singing Frankie Miller’s Darlin and doing different shades of Susan Boyle. Zoso is a natural. I guess we know where it goes from here.

Jamie Price, writer and director, tried to have it both ways. A happy and unhappy ending spliced together. Fuck sake. Get a grip. Worth watching, nevertheless.