It knows what it wants to do, and does the job thoroughly.

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2000)

(Spoiler warning regarding the tone of the film's outcome, nothing too specific)
The first thing to say is that in spite of any complaints held in the following paragraphs, I did find this an entertaining film overall, and left feeling I'd got my money's worth.
There were a few things that annoyed me, however. I'm as happy as the next Brit to see our films doing well overseas, but if I see one more film where a)the setting is the grim, poverty stricken English North b)the hero/heroes face ridicule and adversity at all turns c)the hero/heroes ultimately prevail on stage then I might well walk out. The Full Monty, Brassed Off, and now Billy Elliot fulfill these criteria mathematically, and it's becoming as manufactured as any formulaic genre Hollywood has to offer.
In addition to being a grim-up-north / adversity / stage-triumph film, it's also hell-bent on making sure every member of its audience responds to it in the same way. Emotional cues come so thick and fast it verges on oppressive. Granny's losing her mind but Billy still loves her. Dad's a loud and grumpy man but Billy still loves him. Brother hits, teases and humiliates Billy but Billy still... you see? Every time we get to an emotional speech the strings start playing on the soundtrack, in case we miss it. We aren't always allowed to make what we want of the film, as much of it is rammed down our throats. Although shot to look low-budget and improvised, this is as meticulously crafted a film as you'll ever see, and not in an all-good way. 'Do we have a gay character?' 'No'. 'Quick, put one in. And while you're at it make sure admiring girl, Dad's fat friend, and dead mother are also thrown in there. Got to cover all the bases, don't you...'
As I said, though, it's ultimately a worthwhile experience. There are a few scenes that really do pack a punch, and Julie Walters is fantastic. It also manages to make a few wry observations about the miner's strikes that plagued Britain in the eighties on the way, although perhaps brushing them into the background a bit awkwardly.
Go and see this film. It's really quite good, it just doesn't want to let you dislike it. Perhaps a bit more confidence in the quality of the script, which didn't need as much emotional prompting from the director as it got, would not have gone amiss.