Beautiful Thing
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.42 You Save: $10.54 (42%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Beautiful Thing
Movie Review: One of the very best in gay cinema
Summary: 5 Stars
`Beautiful Thing' is a masterpiece of cinema, deserving of many an accolade. Young Jamie is atypical in his need for direction and identity. Like most boys his age he is desperately trying to find some peace, although his own realisations seem to force him out of the naivety that is youth and into the stark reality of adult experience. His mother being a single mum (Sandra Gangel), played by Linda Henry (an undervalued and often unappreciated actress) battles to both liberate and protect her son from the world she knows to be inherently cruel. The fact that they live amongst a community of individuals each as eccentric as each other, and whom are more involved in the lives of others than their own, makes this task all the more difficult. Jamie's coming-out is at first hidden from his mother, although she having protected him all her life knows there is something that he is hiding from her. When the truth finally comes out, the dialogue between her and her son, is an emotionally uplifting and revealing scene, worthy of one of the cinematic scenes that inspire movies within themselves.
Comic relief is provided by Tameka Empson who is as delightful as she is grass and annoying. You can't help but love her character in all its eccentric madness, as she mimics the community in which she lives. He attitude to Jamie is conflicting at first, as she moves from her own opinions to that of the world around her, until she like Sandra realise that Jamie and his relationship with Ste is truly a `Beautiful Thing'. The pervasive irony however, is that whilst the community is prepared to tolerate domestic violence, drug usage, pervasive decay and poverty, they cannot accept homosexuality. Ultimately, this raw hypocrisy is made self-evident as Sandra, Jamie and Ste find solace, strength and vision in each other.
One of the very best in gay cinema.
Movie Review: Charming Coming of Age Story
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1996 entry from the ever-inventive Channel Four Films, puts most (if not all) gay coming-of-age movies to shame. This charmer is the story of Jamie (Glenn Berry) and Steve (Scott Neal), two teens who are not exactly friends; not exactly enemies. Their bond is more their proximity than anything else. That and the fact that they both are beginning to feel that there has to be more to life than the projects of South London. Jamie is the more studious, the more in touch with his emerging sexuality, the one tormented with taunts of "poof" and "queer". Steve, trapped in his flat with his physically abusive father and brother, is the more "straight" and dreams of sports infamy. The boys find themselves drawn together, dealing with the problems of their lives, and ultimately falling in love, falling in fear of love, and finally falling into a measure of comfortability with one another.
The eclectic cast of characters includes Jamie's barmaid mother Sandra (the brilliant Linda Henry), Sandra's oh-so-understanding boyfriend Tony, and teen neighbor Lia (Tameka Empson - a bravura performance in the "hag" role) who wants nothing more than to be Mama Cass. The result is a story not so much about two boys coming out, but about a whole community daring to come out of their respective closets and daring to dream. The film utilizes the music of Mama Cass and The Mamas and the Papas almost exclusively, resulting in a soundtrack that -- for a change -- actually serves the needs of the film. Though not the best made film from a technical standpoint, the characters are rich and believable, and if the last scene alone doesn't give you a lump in your throat, well...then you are jaded, aren't you.
Originally reviewed for Uniquely Pleasurable.
Movie Review: I never tire of seeing this movie. It IS a beautiful thing!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a gay man, I have to say the plot of this film takes me back to a time when I first started to find myself and, eventually, came out. "Some things are just hard to say", says Jamie (one of the teenagers in the film), effectively coming out to his mother. I remember saying that or something not unlike it at the time.
Jamie and Ste live next door to each other, and when Ste's father and brother have physically abused him (an ongoing problem), Sandra (Jamie's mother) takes him in for the night, whereupon he and Jamie begin their self-discovery.
Perhaps my favourite scene is when Jamie and Ste are running through the woods together when they finally stop to begin a long, passionate kiss. It always brings tears to my eyes because I feel so happy for them, not to mention deliriously envious.
I think the gay theme of this film is mild enough as to not offend too many people if they are already open to viewing a film covering such a topic. However, some of the language is quite crude - the "C" word appears a number of times. I've read many American reviewers stating they have trouble with the accent so I suspect British TV and films are not widely shown there (perhaps there is little interest). Being Australian I fortunately have no trouble understanding both accent and colloquialisms.
I've seen plenty of gay films before. Most have not had that great a storyline or lasting feeling to them. Beautiful Thing has genuine effects on the emotions, especially if you can relate to the main characters. It is definitely my favourite film in this genre. I just love it!
Movie Review: Truly Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
I can't count the number of times I've read a magazine article about this movie, how many times I'd scoured the movie rental places for it in high school, how many times I'd almost bought it online... but never did get my hands on it until recently. It may be hard to find, but it is well worth the search. This is the best coming-of-age movie I've seen --I connected with it and each of the characters on more than one level-- and I was delighted to find that the usual stereotypes are no where to be found in this movie. And on top of that, no sex scenes or anything else you might not want to show your mother.The story has been summarized in many of the other 250 or so reviews, so I won't do that here. But I will urge you to get this movie and watch it -- it will touch you and be beneficial whether you are just coming to terms with being gay, if you're out and completely fine with yourself, or if your kid or friend has just come out to you. Even if you don't know many gay people, watch this movie and see what you think. It deserves all the awards, recognition, and reputation that is has. I only wish I had seen it sooner (and that other people had seen this before I had to come out to them!).
This is a British film, so expect more rough language than you'd see if it had been made in the U.S... I'd also recommend using the Closed Caption to keep from getting a bit confused from the language differences (for instance, I thought Ste had said he was Naked when it made no sense ... ends up he had said Knackered... sleepy I guess LOL).
Whether you rent it or buy it, find some way to see this movie.
Movie Review: I Believed All OF It
Summary: 5 Stars
Movies, plays, and books are all subjective endeavors. The idea is to suspend your disbelief while reading or watching the piece. In the case of BEAUTIFUL THING, that is not hard to do.
From the opening frame you want Jamey to thrive. He hates PE because the macho guys pick on him as they start a game of soccer (the English call it football). He jumps the fence and heads home skipping PE for the umpteenth time. Who can blame him and when a school chum's, Ste's, homelife with his brother and father takes an abusive turn, Jamey's mother rescues him on those nights and the two teens form a bond that goes well beyond friendship.
As the two guys struggle to deal with their love and erotic feelings for each other, the music of Mama Cass Elliott plays in the background. The story and the music is an enchanting combination that intensifies your urge to see them make it as a couple. You know they are young but not too young. You wish that had happened to you when you were their age.
Earlier reviews have already mentioned the terrific supporting cast as well as the two leads in this story, so I won't go into that here. Instead, I want you to see the DVD so you can experience the feeling I felt at the end of the movie when Jamey and Ste begin a slow dance in the street in full view of their neighbors. Unlike a few of my friends who dismissed this scene as unrealistic in a poor working class neighborhood, I chose to suspend my disbelief and each time I watch it, I mouth the word "yes".