Dream work: scipt + director + actors

Rating: Null/10 (1 July 2001)

A fine story about perusing a dream. The ticket office clerk said 'It's a beautiful movie', and yes, he was perfectly right. You can learn the plot in other places, I would like to concentrate on what to my mind is making this movie good.
First of all, a solid acting of the lead of Billy Elliot and some good moves from father Eliot. The kid was able to behave mature, well trained, naturally in the whole line of acting to create a coherent character of a struggling boy, obsessed by the idea, weakened by not knowing what would be right, and still strong to allow us to feel it. Guess for that we have to thank the director, who really could mould the script in a living action, driving the audience to empathy. The story line is interesting and not banal. Actions do not flow by a one- track algorithm, there are hints, but it feels like a life. We know Billy will have to stand up to his father, but he does it in a difficult, comical and not transparent way.
I can perceive symbols, like the rusty metal fence, opposite to the alluring endless sea or the bridge and more. They just are, noticeable or hidden. Some redundant to my mind details are the homosexual line, or revolving of 11-years-olds around sex issues, which is probably a tribute to common thinking, because they are not really needed to open the characters. In overall, the director's feel of reality and proportion is what that make the film so well-paced. Almost no exaggerations, precise timing.

There is no sweet American-style 'work-and-be-great' fanfarous finale, which feels fine, although audience might have wanted to see Billy playing the prince, not a swan in the episode with the 'Swan Lake', but this is just a minor detail, maybe designed to underline the consistency of the likable good character.
D. S