Billy Elliot 2000
This is a good movie that tries to do a couple of different things. First it shows life in England in a 1980’s coal mining town during some disastrous strikes, mostly as seen through the eyes of a tween-aged boy of a miner. Second, it shows this kid as he develops an interest in dancing and ballet. With his mother recently deceased, he finds comfort under the wing of the dance instructor, and she sees some natural talent in him. There is a conflict with the working-class dad, and mostly this follows by the numbers. The movie depends heavily on whether the kid can act and dance and he can do both, though it isn’t standard ballet by any means. Though there is enough terrible language to earn an R rating, the movie eventually gets to be heartwarming. I can see how some people really enjoyed this, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t crazy about it. B.
Written: 22 Aug 2009