It'll Never Work

Set on the West Coast of Scotland, a fisherman called Hans Unkles attempts to pioneer the use of an electric-powered fishing boat by converting a diesel-powered vessel. The technological transformation is far from his biggest hurdle, however, when faced with a bureaucratic nightmare. It’s a journey that may bankrupt and break him but whilst the defeatist wording of the title, It’ll Never Work, may allude to a hopeless endeavour, Hans is ever the upbeat man on a mission.

Joe Osborn directs this light documentary that starts out in a similar fashion to an episode of The Repair Shop, with the focus being on adapting an old diesel boat and turning it into a sea-worthy, sun-powered vessel. Hans has a likeable charm as he talks about his history as a fisherman and how he plans to make a bold move that will hopefully inspire the entire industry to make steps towards a cleaner future. What becomes evident quickly is that Hans faces a gamut of red tape from numerous agencies, made all the more complicated as several aspects of the administration needed to set sail do not even exist for a vehicle like his yet. With deadlines looming and funding hanging in the balance, the pressure amps up to see if he can get it registered as an official fishing vessel in the UK.

Whilst viewers may feel Hans’s fatigue at all the mention of the paperwork, licences, and safety checks, this bureaucracy is needed to support the documentary’s ultimate message, which is: it should not be this hard to utilise greener energy. There’s a moment in the film where one of Hans’s friends mentions the ironic political resistance which comes with doing things in a better, newer way. There are always lots of promises of “aiming” and “working towards” the exact thing that Hans is trying to do, but they are still ultimately focused on wrapping him in massive costs and their current system.

From a filmmaking perspective, It’ll Never Work feels more televisual than cinematic, even with the fantastic coastal locations at their disposal. The music was twee at times but there are moments where it really works, especially when the tunes had a more maritime feel - such as when Hans is playing! The editing, also done by Joe Osborn, was smooth and got the story to where it needed to be. The use of drone footage was particularly impressive.

It’s a heartfelt piece that champions a terrific personal struggle to make an important difference at an important time. Viewers will be glad they stick with Hans until the end because his endurance and perseverance are a lesson to us all.