Good But Not For All The Billing It Has Received

Rating: 7/10 (24 November 2000)

`Billy Elliot' is the newest british import billed to us. It is a pretty good one. The movie is about an 11 year old british lad who becomes fascinated with the art of ballet. Billy lives in a mining town with an abusive father, a selfish brother, and a zany grandmother. I guess that is enough for any young lad to go cookoo and put on a tutu. Newcomer Jamie Bell is definitely no acting `ding dong.' He just might dance away with an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Also, Julie Walters, who plays the chain smoking ballet instructor, might just waltz away with a Best Supporting Actress nomination herself. `Billy Elliot' did have a few falls though. For example, its concentration on the mining strike definitely did not strike it rich it to my liking. All in all, `Billy Elliot' is one that is worth a few bills to spend on and go check out. *** Average