ianlouisiana Review of Billy Elliot

Billy Elliot (2000)

Simplistic patronising nonsense.Proof that P.T.Barnum was wrong.

[4/10 · 6 March 2006]

Working Title Films have produced some of the most twee movies ever made. At least Hugh Grant isn't in "Billy Elliot",nor is that bloke famous for having a nice bum in "Pride and Prejudice". "Billy Elliot" could be a "New Labour" production.I'm sure it must be one of our Dear Leader's favourite films.It represents everything he and his woolly-minded Armchair Socialist chattering-class cronies hold dear. The Third Way,Non-Judgementalism,Inclusivism,Moral Equivalence,One Nationism,every cliché of the Limp Left,every slightly pathetic belief of the "It's grim oop North London" brigade is regurgitated in this fairy (no offence) story about a little boy who'd rather be a ballet dancer than have his brains scrambled in the boxing ring. Unless you've been living on the Planet Zarg for the last five or six years you'll know that the film is set in the tim e of the Miners' Strike (Hooray for Arthur Scargill - Yah boo sucks to Maggie Thatcher).Young Master Elliot's father and brother are striking miners (there's daring for you)and involved in scuffles with the police(scum) and neither are impressed when he reveals his ambition.His teacher(that nice Julie Walters - she's so good on the telly - and so often) believes in him and gets him an interview at Ballet School. Despite,in a rare macho moment,beating up a posh kid(that's all right then) he gets accepted. Saying goodbye to his best(and only,as far as I could make out) chum he discovers that this 11 year old pal is gay (the way 11 year old working class Geordies so often are),but doesn't hold it against him(if you'll pardon the expression). At the end,Dad and brother proudly go to see Billy in "Swan Lake".In the audience are Billy's ex-best mate and his black friend(there's daring for you).Billy,looking a well-preserved 30,leaps onto the stage and that's it.The only sound is people sniffling into their Kleenex and me snoring. Simplistic patronising nonsense then ,but proof that Mr P.T. Barnum ,actually,was wrong.