Beautiful Thing [IMPORT]

Rating:
Summary: a wonderful love story - just happens to be two boys
Review: This film deserves to be seen by all families of gay teens, by all gay teens, by all who remember being gay while teens, by all other teens, by all who are or who have been in love when young, by homophobes and by most anyone else.

It is a story of young love, of being different in adolescence and of that oddly process called "Coming Out" which is terrifying and freeing process at once.

As it starts we see Jamie (Glen Berry) fleeing from after school soccer,and being labelled "Hugh Janus" (Huge Anus) - a reference to his presumed role as a homosexual, by other boys. His next door neighbor (male and the same age) Ste goes along (though with an odd look) with the harrassment. On his way home he he passes the black girl Leah (Tameka Empson) with little comment. When Jamie arrives home, his mother Sandra (Linda Henry) gives him a hard time for having skipped soccer practice.

The stage is set, the main characters introduced, and the story underway in the first sequence in which Jamie walks home from school.

The main plot concerns the developing love affair between Jamie and Ste. Jamie has realized that he is gay, but has told nobody. He is clearly taken with Ste. Ste's sexuality is unknown, but seems likely to be heterosexual and he behaves as such. Over the course of the film we find Ste, who starts by joining his peers (perhaps reluctantly) in the harrassment of Jamie, slowly and fearfully revealing that he does love Jamie and is probably himself gay.

Unlike many other films about coming out, this film has some very strong subplots - Ste is being beaten by his father and older brother. Jamie's mother is attached to Tony - he's odd, but clearly cares about her and is (strangely enough) portrayed as one of the most caring people in the movie. She is also working as a barmaid who as an opportunity for a much better position as the proprietor (??) of a pub of her own. Leah is obsessed with Mama Cass - and is clearly having serious trouble coping with her life.

The main subplots concern discordance between people and their environment - Jamie's homosexuality is a problem between him and his mother (and his school peers). Ste's family clearly (and rightfully) terrifies him - not in general, but in every moment he is around them. Sandra has troubles with Jamie whom she clearly loves deeply but also seems generally unhappy. Leah is prone to the kind of adolescent actions that are designed to attract attention (playing her music overly loud, asking to be hit over the head to change her voice and the like) - this affects both her mother and those living around her.

Tony is an odd character in all this. His place at the onset is that of Sandra's boyfriend and they seem nicely settled together. He works hard to save Leah from one of her more extreme acts. His reaction to Jamie's coming out is supportive, but only because he seems to think that its the "Right Thing".

Some of the plots are resolved - Jamie comes out to his mother - though it takes some pressure from his mother who already knows - to do so. This scene is likely to be one of the most powerful scenes in the film for anyone who had difficulty coming out to parents or family. Sandra gets the new position (though it means she and Jamie will have to move away from the housing (council housing??) where the film is set). Ste and Jamie end up in love. Sandra breaks up with Tony (and with such symbolism!).

Some are not - Ste's continuing relationship with his father and brother is left open as is his future with Jamie who will move with his mother. Leah's difficulties are completely unresolved.

Cinematically, the film is tightly filmed. Little time is wasted in extraneous shots - the film is not so much about place as about people. Indeed, in a few places, the geography of the locations is not easy to work out. For the most part shots of the characters are from reasonable distances (balancing psycological distance and identification) - indeed in retrospect its hard to think of many shots that are not in the range of 5 to 15 feet (or so) from the characters in them. This makes the movie feel like you're participating rather than observing from a distance.

The Mamas and the Papas music is featured in the soundtrack and points up Leah's obsession. The tone of their music is in deep contrast to Leah's agitation. This contrast emphasizes Leah's position as a crucial character, somehow stuck in her own permanent anomie as the others find ways to reduce theirs.

Don't think this is an intellectual film - much of it is quite emotional - dealing with the kinds of issues each of us copes with - and often seem insurmountable during adolescence. And then it ends - leaving anyone who has learned to care about any of the characters quite overwhelmed.

In the final scene, all the major characters (Jamie, Ste, Sandra and Leah) come together in a overwhelming setpiece finish. It is quiet - only the Mamas and the Papas music remains. It is a surprise, completely unrealistic, and wonderfully romantic. It will leave anyone who has been at all emotionally involved with the rest of the film with a satisfying feeling of completion and that sad/glad romantic satisfaction that few films manage.

Rating:
Summary: it is a warm, cute movie~
Review: i love this movie, although they promounciation is not like american and i dont understand some part of it. its a warm and cute movie. describing 2 teenagers love and how they overcome the hard times.
i watch it over and over. i especilly love the kissing part in the woods~ ^^

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Thing is all that and more....
Review: I can promise you one thing you will be doing after you finish watching the movie. You will not be able to get a tune from the Mamas and the Papas out out of your head. If there is any downside to the DVD, it is that it's bonus features are truly limited. I was hoping for commentary from the actors that played Jamie or Ste; however, the movie was made in 1996, and I imagine the young men are well into their twenties...

It is a movie that I have seen countless times for its simplicity and charm, and I can assure you will do the same.

Rating:
Summary: The best Gay themed movie I have ever seen.
Review: I just finished watching the "Beautiful Thing" DVD that I rented. I must say that going into this movie I was not expecting much, so I am completely surprized how much I fell in love with this movie. It is a sweet, romantic and realistic look at what adolescence can be like for a gay kid. This movie reminded me of what being young and in love is all about. It was also the first gay film that I have seen in years that is not full of self-loathing, tragic characters. Don't get me wrong these characters still have their share of problems, but they are not jaded and this is not about "the scene". It is much more about being true to yourself and just loving in spite of problems. I really loved it. I am buying it right now!

Rating:
Summary: Glad I Saw It
Review:

...I loved it. It's the kind of thing that really makes you feel good, but it's very quiet in its own way. You want the characters to be bolder, but if you're like me, you realize that you shouldn't put so much pressure on them- you're not that bold either. ... All in all, it's a very accurate picture of what discovering your [self] actually means. And I have to say,..., the kid who played Jamie was actually pretty cute. He had a nice smile. (Well, he was cute! What can I say...

Rating:
Summary: A TITAN IN THE GAY FILM GENRE & BOUND TO BE A CLASSIC
Review: Sit down strap yourself in and hold on as we are about to go on an emotional roller coaster ride to the core of human emotions. "Beautiful Thing" is all this, and more; you will laugh, and cry, get angry, and then cry some more. As I started to explain this film, which will grab you and pull you in quite possibly like no other, to my employee, I started to break down; I don't do this very often. Tears are welling up now as I type this.

The film is about an adolesent young man, Jamie who lives with his "mum" in an English housing development along with is neighbores on one side, Leah ( who adds much comic relief ) and her mother, and Ste. ( short for Steven )another adolesent boy of the same age and his older brother and father on the other side.
In the openning secequence, Jamie is in his P.E. class ( with Ste.) and the other boys ridicule him viciously, not wanting him to join them in football ( British style ); humiliated ( I've been then there) after having his gym kit thrown over the fence he retrieves it, skips class and runs home. Ste., on the other hand is physicaly beaten by his abusive bother and father and lives in fear; unable to take the abuse any longer Ste. spends the night with Jamie sleeping head to toe in the same bed. Later on Jamie steals a gay magazine shows it to Ste. and discovers a gay "pub" across town and ask's him to join him; the mother knows something is up and follows them there, when later that night she confronts Jamie on his activies of that night, crying in his bed "Some things are just to hard to say" he tells his mother. Like a trailer to a film, I don't like to give the whole story away and ruin it for you; I really suggest that you avoid reading other reviews that do. I will say there isn't any frontal nudity; and it's a great film if you are just comming out or show it to your family or school to dramitize the effects of gay bashing etc. either way, bring plenty of kleenx the ending will stick with you for a long time; for it is neither to sweet to be "sappy" and the acting is excellent to the point of being surreal; This could have been a major motion picture Hollywood style, I have never seen anything like it and the soundtrack form the "MOMMA'S & THE PAPPA'S adds a wonderful score.
We as gay people have face and experienced rejection, hatred, bigotry and even murder; but in the end you will discover that life after all is, a Beautiful Thing.
If you get just one film this year, get " BEAUTIFUL THING "
( buy one copy for your video store too).

Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies I've ever seen.
Review: I have to agree with the quote on the back of the package, which said that this movie "makes a story about ordinary people into something extraordinary." After seeing it, I just felt really moved. Part of its strengh, I think, is that it doesn't try to exaggerate events to make things more interesting, and by not doing that, it becomes immensely better. This is just a coming-of-age story told in a very real, quiet way, and it's brilliant.

The soundtrack is also amazing. Before seeing this movie I only knew of one song by The Mamas and the Papas, and now I've fallen in love with their music, and especially that of Mama Cass Elliot. Buy this movie immediately, and buy the soundtrack to go along with it.

Rating:
Summary: It Really is a Beautiful Thing
Review: Exquisite, beautiful and sometime brutal movie. Not unlike my own coming out story. This is a must see/buy for any Gay man and should be required viewing for the straight world.

Rating:
Summary: Great love story
Review: I hesitate to call it a gay story because it's more than that. It's a simple, sweet love story between two boys in working class England.

Rating:
Summary: A Touching Coming Out Movie
Review: This is one of the best coming out movies I have seen of all time. Scott Neal and Glen Berry did a wonderful job in this movie. The scenes between Linda Henry and Glen Berry were awesome too. For anyone out there that wants to see a good coming of age, coming out movie, Beautiful Thing is the movie to see.