#61 PRIDE

#61 PRIDE

Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, George MacKay, Paddy Considine and Freddie Fox.

Directed by Stephen Beresford, 120 minutes long.

Back in 1984, Thatcher tried to crush the mining industry forcing the miners to go on strike and causing a war of attrition that was to last a year. Whereas that aspect of the story is well known what perhaps isn't is the support given to the miner's cause by the gay and lesbian community and that's the theme of this much lauded movie. Using the device of a young gay man's own awakening sexuality as its main plot device this film, Pride is heavily worthy and earnestly documents those dark and hate-filled years caused by Thatcher and the Tories as the mining industry was eviscerated and the blight of AIDS began to make its presence felt.

Despite great performances and a well-written script, Pride lacks a solid enough plot and ultimately comes across as a worthy, earnest, homogenised docu-drama, with very little drama. What we do get is uncomfortable silences as the, naturally homophobic Welsh miners come face-to-face with the coach-load of gay activities who show up in the valley town and overcome their prejudices and come to love the gays, interspersed with London skin heads shouting abuse and thoroughly good egg and young 20 year-old Joe as he embraces his burgeoning homosexuality and comes out to his strait-laced, right-wing parents and finds his voice.

Lots to enjoy, but just not particularly engaging, although this is an important story and deserves to be told.

7/10