A bittersweet feelgood of a narrative as young Billy Elliot, coming to terms with the recent death of his mother, finds solace in the world of dance – much to the dismay of his father and older brother.
Set in the northern England mining towns during the year-long Miners Strike, Billy (Jamie Bell – Rocketman, Flags of Our Fathers) skips boxing classes for ballet and the no-nonsense Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters – Mamma Mia, Harry Potter). But dad (Gary Lewis – Gangs of New York, The Keeper), already struggling with the loss of his wife and the financial impact of the strike, is less than happy.
Sheer joy on screen as the immensely likeable Billy determindly fights for what he wants – even when there’s no electricity or thousands of police descend on the town restricting movement of the mining townsfolk. Acclaimed theatre director Stephen Daldry (The Reader, The Hours) nailed it in his film debut.
Nominated for 3 Oscars in 2001 – best director, supporting actress and original screenplay (Lee Hall).
Rating: 77%
An Opinion or Two 