Billy Elliot ***** (2000, Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis) – Classic Movie Review 262

Here at long, long last in 2000 came a British movie to cheer about – and a new young star in the making in 14-year-old Jamie Bell. Billy Elliot is a follow that dream, rags to riches story par excellence, expertly directed by Stephen Daldry and flawlessly performed by the entire cast, but especially by Bell.

He doesn’t put a foot wrong in a knockout turn as Billy Elliot, a young kid in County Durham, the north of England in 1984. It’s the time of great hardships, bitterness and social division during the coal strike in the Thatcher era.

Billy, unexpectedly, dreams of swapping his boxing gloves for dancing shoes and leaving his mining town roots behind to become an acclaimed dancer. Against the wishes of his newly widowed miner dad (Gary Lewis) and older brother Tony (Jamie Draven), he’s persuaded by teacher Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters) to join in her previously girls-only classes and take her ballet lessons.

Michael Caffrey, a closet gay schoolmate (Stuart Wells), encourages him too. Eventually he’s good enough to try out for the Royal Ballet School, Richmond Park, in London, and visits the Royal Ballet in Bow Street, Covent Garden.

With elements of both Brassed Off and Stepping Out, and better than both of them put together, this heartwarming, funny, foot-tapping tale of victory against the odds, and the triumph of doing your own thing regardless, really zings and soars. With great T-Rex songs (Cosmic Dancer, I Love to Boogie, Get It On, Ride a White Swan, Children of the Revolution) and such a pulsating feel-good factor, it’ll sweep you off your feet.

Matthew Bourne’s version of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake ballet (with dancer Adam Cooper as the Swan, supposedly Billy at 25) is cleverly integrated at the movie’s climax, at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Stephen Gately’s version of I Believe also adorns the soundtrack.

It’s quite a warm, cuddly, universally-friendly movie, but there’s lots of swearing with about 50 uses of the f-word and has a 15 certficate.

Packed with heart, Lee Hall’s lovely screenplay was Oscar nominated, along with Daldry and Walters (as best supporting actress). It won well-deserved Bafta awards for Bell, Walters and Best British Film.

Jean Heywood plays Grandma, Billy Fane is Mr Braithwaite, Nicola Blackwell is Mike Elliot is Debbie Wilkinson, Joe Renton is Gary Poulson and Mike Elliot is George Watson.

Elton John saw the film at Cannes and proposed a theatre version to Daldry. The stage musical opened in 2005 in the UK and 2008 on Broadway. It won the 2009 Tony for best musical. In  October 2010, the Victoria Palace Theatre in London welcomed its 3,000,000th patron.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 262

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