I loved it...

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2000)

Do you ever wonder if other people saw the same movie as you? A friend of mine dismissed this film as trite, manipulative and shallow. He hated it and said it was offensive to gay people. I don't get that at all.

I really enjoyed this movie. I don't care that the story line was trite or that the ending was obvious, it made me feel good. I loved the characters, and I felt they grew in the film. They were complex and flawed but interesting. Even though you may have seen the plot before, it may be hackneyed or even cliched, the people in the film are real.

For me, this was, at least in part, a film about relationships. The dynamics of the family under pressure are beautifully portrayed. I empathised so much with the brother as he tries to say goodbye to Billy but can't be heard, and the father as he prepares to abandon his principles to give his son a chance. Those moments were simple realisations of the deep feelings that are too hard to express and were deeply moving (I nearly blubbed).
But the film isn't all girly. Its funny, bloody hilarious in places. Its the way I remember being 11. (Except I would never dance. Never. Real men don't. Ever.)
I would love to argue every negative point that other reviewers have made. Except one. The last scenes...
I recommend this film to anyone.