Billy Elliot (2000)

From the title and trailer of the film, I pictured Billy Elliot to be a comedy-drama which would appeal to family audiences and both genders. The film seemed to include a lot of laughs and moments of pulling heart strings which is unique to find in the film industry. Needless to say, I had high hopes.

The movie takes place in a small mining village in County Durham, where a young boy, Billy (Jamie Bell) questions where his true talent lies after he stumbles upon a Ballet class led by Mrs Wilkinson, (Julie Walters) during his weekly boxing lesson. He attempts to conceal his love for dancing from his domineering, widowed father (Gary Lewis), who is making life at home that more difficult for Billy during the miners strikes. Once he discovers Billy’s secret, the 11-year-old is caught in a dilemma of whether he should continue following his dream or strive for his family’s approval.

The plot is very simple and is definitely relatable to children of Billy’s age. It’s hugely inspiring to all ages and is believable. This film is in direct comparison to “Girlfight” which is the American ‘flip’ to Billy Elliot, about a female boxer.

I found this film both gripping and enjoyable. The simple plot was a truly magnificent surprise in how it captivated me and made me laugh and cry in equal measure. A strong element of the script was that the viewer was not continuously reminded that the young male dancer is straight. He is not a stereotype and Lee Hall (Screenplay) ingeniously proves that Billy is not gay in the subtlest way. Nevertheless, the characters make big shifts which makes the plot less believable. For example; Billy’s dancing level increases rapidly in an unrealistically short amount of time. He performs an impressive front aerial which for professional dancers requires months of practice to perfect.

One particular scene which stood out to me, was Billy’s dance of frustration on the streets after the argument between his brother and his dance teacher. During this argument, his brother puts him on the table and forces him to dance, but Billy refuses. After this we watch Billy taking out his frustration by dancing ferociously outside in public. For me, this scene reflects another scene towards the end of the film where Billy describes what he feels like when he is dancing. He says “When I get going, I forget everything and sort of disappear.” It’s ironic here because he’s dancing to forget the previous argument, along with the fact that he’s dancing in public but he doesn’t seem to notice them, like he’s disappeared. Alongside that, the fact that Billy is outside the house can connote that he’s too afraid to dance for his family but he’ll dance for anyone else.

I would definitely recommend this film for age 15 and above, especially parents. You see a child desperately trying to achieve his dreams and facing an unsupportive parent which causes a negative approach to that character. Therefore, this film encourages parents to support their children no matter what they want to do.