Review of Billy Elliot (2000) by Matthew H — 22 Apr 2011

"A young boy in a poor mining community in Northern England, wants to learn ballet, to which he seems a natural at, despite his disapproving father who feels that ballet is un-manly." Now, doesn't that sound like the hokiest premise ever? But, you'd be surprised.

While it does move through a forced premise, and a predictable story arc, Billy Elliot actually emerges quite a special film on the other side. The performances are key in making everything work, and they all manage to seem real, even the father, who at first seems doomed to suffer horrible cliches.

But, what really works is the directing by Stephen Daldry, who has made some good films, and some bad films, but has an odd amount confidence in what the screenplay is reaching for. Putting this kind of saccharine, inspirational drama, up against a gritty setting of English coal-miners manages to have an odd amount of charm, as everything seems more organic.

In other words, characters decisions and actions seem to flow more naturally, rather than it seeming like the script forces them into things, and end up feeling awkward. This is, no small part, thanks to a find in the 13-year-old Jamie Bell, who is really one of the best picks ever in the history of pre-teenage leading men.

He seems very much like a real kid, reacting in all the same ways, and with all the sensible understandings, while having enough charisma to make him interesting, rather than being shoved to the sidelines by adults.

Billy Elliot isn't going to break any new grounds, but like Good Will Hunting before it, you may be surprised at how rich the underlying drama is, beneath a tricky premise.