Beautiful Thing [IMPORT]

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT !....
Review: I truely enjoyed this film. the acting was great and the film quality was fantastic. Even though the coming of age as a gay youth story, is common place. This story was great and well made. Romantic, charming and heart felt. You will find yourself trapped in the story and going through some things you may recall and some things new to you. An excellent investment and all around good film. Buy it and know that this one is a keeper.

Rating:
Summary: Official U.S. DVD Version Arriving May 20, 2003
Review: "Beautiful Thing" truly is one of the best gay feature films made. It's one of the best films made, period.

Just wanted everyone to know that it's finally coming to DVD. The official version is being released May 20, 2003 from Columbia TriStar. So if any of you have been waiting for it and have been leary of getting the above-mentioned poor quality knock-off, your wait is finally over!

Rating:
Summary: U.S. DVD Release is coming soon!
Review: Hold out...the U.S. release of Beautiful Thing is set for 5/2003

One of the best movies of all time...finally on a proper DVD! So get ready to toss those inferior VHS and import DVD copies and get in line!

Rating:
Summary: Absoloutely Amazing
Review: Like most people who have seen this film, i love it.

The 1st time i cried, it is so touching...

You are garunteed to love it.

Rating:
Summary: Short & Sweet
Review: Like the movie I'll make this short & sweet. To get to the (only)disagreeable thing out of the way-I couldn't understand why the Mother felt it necessary to dump her (younger) boyfriend. I think he was a very interesting character who was not explored enough. Not for the good(actually excellent)-brilliant performances by all concerned & I could watch the ending 50 times & get teary-eyed each time. I agree with another reviewer that is it a shame that younger viewers (14+) cannot see this film. What I would have given to see this film @ that age!

Rating:
Summary: Why Must I be a Teenager in Love
Review: English working-class family fireworks for those who find Ken Loach and Mike Leigh a bit heavy-going.

Beautiful Thing is a heartwarming story of two young men coming to grips with their sexuality and the effect it has on the people in their lives.

Focusing on three neighbors, Jamie (Glen Berry), Ste (Scott Neal) and Leah (Tameka Empson) on Thamesmead Estate in south-east London. In the middle flat, Jamie lives with his pub manager mum, cheerful, resilient Sandra (Linda Henry) who is the self-appointed watchdog of her housing project, the sort of neighbor who's into everyone's business with the brightest of smiles and the best of intentions. Her teenage son Jamie is coming to terms with the fact that he's gay and is also going through a few problems at school, much to the chagrin of his gutsy mother who is too busy trying to hold down a relationship with a dippy younger man, Tony (Ben Daniels).

Next door lives Ste, sporty and good looking, with his brother and alcoholic father. The atmosphere is tense at the best of times.

On the other side live Leah and her mum. Leah has been kicked out of school and passes her time listening to old records. Leah has become obsessed with the music of the Mamas and the Papas and particularly with Mama Cass.

Life drifts along until one night Ste is beaten up by his brother and is taken into the safety of Sandra's flat. Sleeping embarrassed head-to-toe, Jamie realizes that he is in love with Ste. As the bullying continues, Ste spends more and more time with Jamie. With Jamie, Ste finds a tenderness he has so far missed out on in life. He finds himself drawn more and more to Jamie.

But it is not as straightforward as that. How can you be gay on this tough estate? As Ste and Jamie are sorting things out in their heads, Sandra discovers the truth. She knows she cannot kick Jamie out. Her love for him is too strong, and she decides to try and understand. It is clear now that things will forever be different for Jamie and his mother, but Ste can never tell his family the truth.

The film ends on an optimistic note with Jamie and Ste slow dancing in the sunshine, and Leah and Sandra, usually at each other's throats, reconciling their differences and slow dancing alongside them.

It all sounds horribly grim and depressing, but director Hettie Macdonald manages to put a cheery spin on everything without making it all ring saccharine and false. Top-notch performances all around, especially from Henry and Ben Daniels, who's saddled with the thankless role of her droll, neo-hippie boyfriend, Tony, and manages to make him one of the most likable characters in a generally amiable crew.

Rating:
Summary: Full of Grace
Review: When I was a very young man, maybe to some still a boy, the Lord granted me Exceptual Grace. He led me to fall in love with a person of my same sex. The story of this movie mirrors in many aspects my own experience, except that the boy I slept over with was the psychologically and physically abused one. For that love I am humbly grateful.
I will take a different slant in my interpretation of this film, because I believe that the joy that it engenders in the heart should be accounted for. I know of only two direct descriptions of God in the Bible. One is that God is Spirit and the second is that God is Love. I believe that in my early love and in the story of Ste and Jamie God was Present. Certainly Love was there and certainly the Spirit Arose to defeat the crushing blindness of the world not to see us as we truly are, just victims of our own hearts, maybe a mystery, maybe not.
For me, as a Christian, the biggest mystery is why God loves us at all. We all seem to insist that His Nature is not ultimately Love and that there is so many of us beyond His Compassion and Care. We are dirty, shameful and sinful. Just lepers. Watch this movie and be prepared to be released. And thank God for the Grace that you receive!

Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC! But a word of warning for some...
Review: If you were looking for a realistic, convincing performance with a naturalistic plot and a feeling that you are watching a slice of real life... you have come to the wrong place...

However, if you wanting a real feel good movie, which tells us there is hope and love in this world then you should definitely buy or rent this movie.

I know I was left with a deeply satisfied feeling after having bought and watched this... I went through a lot to actually find it but the search was worthwhile and I know I'll watch it many times again in the future.

My only complaint is it is far too short and I would love to have seen much more of the lovebirds! Also, my mum walked in during the middle of it and shouted about tidying my room *Grumbles* but that's neither here nor there... I would definitely advise people to find a quiet place to watch this!

So I would say you should certainly buy this video if you're looking for something, which makes you feel really happy and deeply satisfied but if you wanted the more gritty, real side to life you've come to the wrong place.

ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: Subtle, ironic, sensible and honest
Review: Two high school age boys, not in America, find each other in friendship which eventually leads them to a place where romance grows at a rate neither of them foresaw. The dialogue is exquisite as is the acting of these two young men. It's realism, almost painful at times, but always touching, gives these characters the depth and nuance necessary for the audience to believe the events that occur that at once distance the boys while drawing them closer together. Certain scenes obviously carry more weight than others, but overall the movie is cohesive and coherent.
It is not all doom and gloom for our couple though, there is some comic relief as well as the requisite gay "sarcasm." The end will leave you breathless.
If you're looking for a skin flick, you've come to the wrong place. If you're gay romance that's slightly rough around the edges then this is a flick for you.
One other honorable mention; the entire soundtrack is music by the Mama's and the Papa's and, strangley enough, it works. (I bought that too).

Rating:
Summary: Stick with VHS [* * * * *] for now!
Review: Beautiful Thing is a beautiful thing, indeed...as long as it's the VHS version. The reviews here have helped me continue to wait for a GOOD DVD of the movie. Meanwhile I'll keep my VHS alive. As to the movie itself I give it 5 stars. Implausible but beautiful dream for sure, yet a heartstring-tugger for this writer. I still can't figure out why Jamie's mom ditched her boyfriend. He seemed a rather good sort. All-in-all it's one of my all-time favorites.