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Billy Elliot, the screen debut of British theater director Stephen Daldry, follows in the footsteps of Brassed Off and The Full Monty by combining the kitchen sink realism of a Ken Loach film with an uplifting tale of salvation through the performing arts. It's also a poignant and often very funny coming-of-age drama enlivened by young Jamie Bell's star-making performance in the title role. The story takes place in 1984 against the backdrop of the coal-miner's strike in Durham County, England. It's a place where life is hard and bleak, and men spend their spare time getting pissed in pubs and boxing at the local gym. Imagine, then, the horror of Billy's gruff but basically good-hearted father (Gary Lewis) when he finds out that his adolescent boy, showing no talent as a pugilist, has secretly taken up ballet instead. Billy's mentor is a chain-smoking ballet mistress, superbly portrayed by Julie Walters, who sees the spark of raw talent in the boy and risks the wrath of Billy's homophobic dad and older brother (Jamie Driven) in order to nurture it. Making deft use of period music, with an emphasis on T. Rex, Billy Elliot celebrates the power of song and dance to liberate a person from the constraints of poverty and narrow-mindedness. Yet at the same time, Daldry finds beauty in the beleaguered mining town, with its stark light: When Billy, exhilarated by dancing, rushes through narrow streets pitched precipitously above a shimmering, pewter sea, the image reflects the inner state of a young hero poised to soar. Kryssa Schemmerling

All Movie Guide

Brassed Off meets My Name Is Joe in this gritty coming-of-age drama about a young son of a poor English coal miner who dreams of being a ballet dancer. The film is set during a 1984 miners' strike in Durham county, where angry clashes between picketers and cops in riot gear are nearly daily occurrences. Among the most vociferous protestors are Tony (Jamie Driven) and his dad (Gary Lewis), who nags his youngest son Billy (Jamie Bell) into taking boxing classes. Though the kid can do some fancy footwork, he can't take a punch. One day at the gym, he notices a ballet class taught by hard-bitten Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters), whose young daughter dares him to join. When his father gets wind of this less-than-manly pursuit, he pulls him from the class. Sensing a raw and natural talent, Mrs. Wilkinson offers to teach the lad for free in preparation for the local auditions to the Royal Ballet School. When Tony gets in trouble with the cops, Billy is forced to miss the trials, leading to a confrontation between Billy's pop and Ms. Wilkinson. Though at first he steadfastly refuses to consider his son's desires of going into ballet, he comes to realize that this might be the one shot that Billy has in order to escape the danger and grinding tedium of a miner's life, so he sets out to earn the money by any means necessary to send his son to London. This film is the directorial debut of renowned British stage director Stephen Daldry. Jonathan Crow

Product Details

• UPC: 025192113420
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 1:51:00
• Sales Rank: 306

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