Review of Beginners (2011) by Dianna D — 30 Aug 2013

If Ewan McGregor got the Oscar instead of Christopher Plummer, I would rate Beginners higher than this. I hate the fact that people will actually watch Beginners because one of the actor got an Oscar nomination. If any, McGregor should have been nominated at least, instead. Now, I am not bashing Plummer, the man is a gem in movie industry as it is, but his character is the weakest in any movie I've seen.

Plummer played a gay character who came out of the closet after his wife died. Aside from exploring his 'new' freedom, Hal (Plummer) is a father to one broken-soul, relationship-scared son, Oliver, who stand besides him all the way through his dead bed. The writer / director try hard to pursue an idea and to feed us this image, that Hal is a wonderful old man who found his happiness at the end, but instead, the character, strikes me as a non-loving, selfish and self-centered father figure who only think about himself and acted like a kid on a summer holiday throughout the movie. There was no redemption or disclosure attempt at all.

Once you moved away from the Plummer versus McGregor debate, to the actual movie, you will enjoyed it very much. I especially loved the relationship between McGregor and Laurent, it was honestly written and beautifully acted by the two leads. If any, please watch Beginners for these two.

6.2/10.