Billy Elliot (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
1984, Margaret Thatcher's England (thud): In a northern England mining town, coal miners are on strike, police are mobilized to end rioting, & the atmosphere is thick in portent. 11 yr. old Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell), whose dad, Jackie (Gary Lewis) & brother are participating in the strike, is in a world of turmoil. His mom is dead (poor kid misses her so much; he visits her gravesite often & trims the grass around her headstone). His beloved grandmother is succumbing to senility. And he hates taking boxing lessons down at the local hall. Billy is not an effeminate child; he's just not into brutality. Instead, he's intrigued by the girls' ballet lessons being held at the same hall. Much to his surprise, he LOVES dancing. But when Billy's dad finds out about his new pastime, things go all wrong for him.
Jackie explodes in a fit of rage, "Lads do football, boxing, or wrestling ... not friggin' ballet!" -- questioning his sexuality along the way. But this kind of reaction wouldn't deter Billy just yet. Billy had been paying 50 pence per dance lesson. But times got rough (due to the strike). And before long, Billy is being fully supported by Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters), the local ballet teacher who realizes that he has some potential. While his dad & brother struggle through the strike, Billy trains for an audition at the Royal Ballet School! Doubting his own talents, can Billy convince himself that he's worthy? Will his dad accept his passion for dancing? Can Billy overcome the overwhelming oppressiveness of his small world? It all comes down to the big audition. And let me tell you, it is quite the scene.
For the most part (the ending is a tad awkward), this is a brilliant little movie; full of whimsy, fear, comedy, drama, political intrigue & pure joy – a triumph of the human spirit. There is nothing groundbreaking about 'Billy Elliot', directed by Stephen Daldry. But it's just performed SO well by Julie Walters, Gary Lewis & Jamie Bell, that you become transfixed by the actual characters, their hopes, fears & motivations. We care so much about them. Without these 3 stand-out performances, the film would be a good-ish TV movie. The acting completely elevates it. Jamie Bell (in particular) is superb; infusing boundless enthusiasm for what he's doing with subtle dramatic touches. I look forward to seeing what he can do in the future.
The subplot involving the struggles of the coal miners (trying to attain better wages/benefits) is stellar, as well. We really get the sense of how awful their situation is (near poverty level). Whoever thought that dancing & the social injustice of coal mining would go hand in hand? Well, it does in this movie. The balance of tones is spot on, as is the great writing. As far as the dancing goes, much of it is unpolished sequences (training, messing up, reckless abandon), but Billy's dancing style is something to behold, for sure. 'Billy Elliot' is mostly about family dynamics/relationships, and connecting or re-connecting through the power of art. By trying to avoid as many cliched and/or cloying moments as possible, 'Billy Elliot' hits an emotional home-run. Young Billy has no concerns about sexuality (doesn't even know what it means). He just wants to dance; and to make both himself & his dad proud.
Jackie explodes in a fit of rage, "Lads do football, boxing, or wrestling ... not friggin' ballet!" -- questioning his sexuality along the way. But this kind of reaction wouldn't deter Billy just yet. Billy had been paying 50 pence per dance lesson. But times got rough (due to the strike). And before long, Billy is being fully supported by Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters), the local ballet teacher who realizes that he has some potential. While his dad & brother struggle through the strike, Billy trains for an audition at the Royal Ballet School! Doubting his own talents, can Billy convince himself that he's worthy? Will his dad accept his passion for dancing? Can Billy overcome the overwhelming oppressiveness of his small world? It all comes down to the big audition. And let me tell you, it is quite the scene.
For the most part (the ending is a tad awkward), this is a brilliant little movie; full of whimsy, fear, comedy, drama, political intrigue & pure joy – a triumph of the human spirit. There is nothing groundbreaking about 'Billy Elliot', directed by Stephen Daldry. But it's just performed SO well by Julie Walters, Gary Lewis & Jamie Bell, that you become transfixed by the actual characters, their hopes, fears & motivations. We care so much about them. Without these 3 stand-out performances, the film would be a good-ish TV movie. The acting completely elevates it. Jamie Bell (in particular) is superb; infusing boundless enthusiasm for what he's doing with subtle dramatic touches. I look forward to seeing what he can do in the future.
The subplot involving the struggles of the coal miners (trying to attain better wages/benefits) is stellar, as well. We really get the sense of how awful their situation is (near poverty level). Whoever thought that dancing & the social injustice of coal mining would go hand in hand? Well, it does in this movie. The balance of tones is spot on, as is the great writing. As far as the dancing goes, much of it is unpolished sequences (training, messing up, reckless abandon), but Billy's dancing style is something to behold, for sure. 'Billy Elliot' is mostly about family dynamics/relationships, and connecting or re-connecting through the power of art. By trying to avoid as many cliched and/or cloying moments as possible, 'Billy Elliot' hits an emotional home-run. Young Billy has no concerns about sexuality (doesn't even know what it means). He just wants to dance; and to make both himself & his dad proud.