France, United Kingdom, United States of America

DramaComedyMusic

DancingFriendshipDreamDancing classNorthern englandWorkers' quarterStrikeSmall personHomophobiaHopeMentorSadnessSocialismYoungsterLetterBallet dancerStreet riotsComing of ageBalletYoung boyCross dressingCryingSingle fatherAuditionDance classRetrospectiveLgbtRevoltBallet schoolEmotional vulnerabilityHelping childrenSmart kidStreet kidDance teacher1980sMiners strikeFather son relationship80s throwbackBallet dancingGay themeLate 20th centuryTeen playing kidYaGenerational divide

Stephen Daldry

Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven, Stuart Wells

Lee Hall

StudioCanal, BBC Film, Tiger Aspect, Arts Council of England, Working Title Films, Universal Pictures, WT² Productions

Taglines: Inside every one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it.

County Durham, England, 1984. The miners' strike has started and the police have started coming up from Bethnal Green, starting a class war with the lower classes suffering. Caught in the middle of the conflict is 11-year old Billy Elliot, who, after leaving his boxing club for the day, stumbles upon a ballet class and finds out that he's naturally talented. He practices with his teacher Mrs. Wilkinson for an upcoming audition in Newcastle-upon Tyne for the royal Ballet school in London.

Reviews:

Author: Geronimo1967
I hadn't seen this film since it was released when it was shown recently as a part of the Glasgow Youth Film Festival. The fact that it was chosen by the kids of today in what would have been just as unlikely a setting for this film as the North of England speaks volumes as to it's effect on challenging and breaking the stereotypical moulds that the British working class in the early 1980s was steeped in. The sylph-like "Billy" (the hugely engaging Jamie Bell) goes to boxing class each week but is soon more preoccupied by the adjacent dancing class of the no-nonsense "Mrs. Wilkinson" (Julie Walters) who gradually lets him join in. He's a bit scared that his dad (Gary Lewis) and his wayward brother "Tony" (Jamie Draven) will find out so it has to all be a bit clandestine. It's only when his striking miner father finds out from the boxing coach that "Billy" is spending his 50p elsewhere that a confrontation ensues and the film steps up a gear. The characterisations are strong and are not frightened to evolve - but not in a simplistic A+B=C fashion. There are troubles and traumas - not least those faced by a father who struggles with his own emotions; is facing financial difficulties, a wayward older son and a younger one who wants to dance and hangs about with best pal "Michael" (another strong effort from Stuart Wells) who is quite clearly gay. Walters and Bell and Bell and Lewis work well together here; allowing the story to emerge naturally and energetically and as feel-good films go, this takes some beating. It's the ultimate "anyone can do" film that resonates as well now as it did then - only, maybe, the soundtrack needs a bit of updating! Great film this - and there's even a tiny bit of Adam Cooper at the end.