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.
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Character
Classical in form, earnest, effortless and character-led.
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- effortlessdemanding
- character-ledplot-driven
- resolvedopen-ended
Who loves it, who doesn't
37 profiled raters. Loved most by The Comfort Seekers; disliked most by The Archivists.
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“Is Billy Elliot too earnest?”
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“Is Jamie Bell the best thing in Billy Elliot?”
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“Is this Stephen Daldry's best work?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Oct 20238/10
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,
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Cast
- Jamie BellBilly Elliot
- Gary LewisJackie Elliot
- Julie WaltersMrs Wilkinson
- Jean HeywoodGrandma
- Jamie DravenTony Elliot
- Stuart WellsMichael Caffrey
- Mike ElliotGeorge Watson
- Billy FaneMr Braithwaite
- Nicola BlackwellDebbie Wilkinson
- Carol McGuiganLibrarian
Crew
- Stephen DaldryDirector
- Lee HallWriter
- Brian TufanoDirector of Photography
- Stephen WarbeckOriginal Music Composer
- John WilsonEditor
- Jonathan FinnProducer
- Greg BrenmanProducer
Where to watch
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Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Dead Poets Society 198984% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
Casablanca 194382% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
The Defiant Ones 195882% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
Come from Away 202180% alikeBoth earnest, classical in form.
Trumbo 201580% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
Stagecoach 193980% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
Fame 198080% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
The Turning Point 197780% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest.
The Queen's Gambit 202081% alikeTelevision · Both earnest, classical in form.
Alien Nation 198980% alikeTelevision · Both earnest, classical in form.
Often watched with
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