Overwhelmingly average.

Rating: 5/10 (17 January 2002)

This film left me wholly non-plussed. I came out of the cinema with very little positive or negative to say about it, and would have forgotten almost completely that I had even been to see it after a couple of months had it not been for the British Press, and for that matter the British Public, who had an almost rabid obsession with it. New British films are still calling themselves 'The new Billy Elliot!'. I couldn't believe my ears when I came out of the cinema. People were proclaiming it as the greatest film ever made, which it patently is not.
I think the problem is that the plot is virtually non-existent. Artist struggles to get recognition. Thats been a cliche for a very long time now, so the film just played on sentimentality, and therefore ended up very sickly sweet and unsubtle, with all the messages rammed down your throat. Anyone can be a dancer, even if they are from a mining town! Not all dancers are gay! Prejudice is bad!
To be fair, some of the acting is excellent, especially Julie Walters, who was magnificent as the Ballet Teacher who wasnt up to the job. Jamie Bell wasnt bad, but he overdoes it, although I suppose thats not terribly surprising for an actor in his early teens. The backdrop of the Miners Strike was handled in a surprisingly candid way.
But I found it impossible to get even vaguely enthusiastic about this film. I thought it was overwhelmingly average. I find it absolutely bewildering that 'Billy Elliot' has got anywhere near the top 250. 5/10.