a bad movie, that suggest nothing new to the viewers

Rating: 4/10 (10 December 2000)

All I can say, after hearing many of my friends warmly recommending this movie, is that something is wrong here. I think we don't expect much from the cinema any longer. Billy Eliot indeed is a very sweet young guy, but that's not enough. If that's all you are looking for, go to you local pre-school at lunch time.
the movie reminds very much if not too much of the even worse movie - "the Orchestra". Hard working people in a difficult town, problems in the mines, difference between generation in the same family, father and son, collaborating with the enemy (the teacher - a rich person who's husband is from the mine management), love for art. the resemblance is too close.
Not knowing how to write a decent dialoges, or to build a character, the director and screenwriter just uses the most usual and banal tools. no sophistication, nothing gentle, they put it all in a big spoon and shove it in your mouth. "cry now", "feel touched now" they tell you.
why the teacher love the kid and helps him so much? I didn't understand until the end. he isn't really good, and he doesn't look very passionate about it. what is so good about him that he is considered such a talent? I don't know that either. I found the dance routines embarrassingly old and silly, you can almost imagine that lady from "Fame" making up the steps.
so that's it. a waste of time and money. but I will be honest and admit that everyone else I talked to loved it.