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Beautiful Thing (1996) |
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90
minutes
Rated: R
Country: Great Britain
Studio: Sony Pictures Home
Entertainment
Cast: Linda Henry, Glen
Berry, Scott Neal, Tameka Empson,
Ben Daniels
Director: Hettie McDonald
Screenwriter: Jonathan Harvey |
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Synopsis |
Jamie, Ste and Leah; three teenagers
who are neighbours on Thamesmead
Estate in south-east London.
In the middle flat Jamie lives with
his pub manager mum, Sandra. Jamie's
going through a few problems at
school, much to the chagrin of the
gutsy Sandra. Sandra's holding down
a relationship with the dippy, hippy
new man in her life, Tony, whilst
dreaming of promotion.
Next door lives Ste, sporty and good
looking, with his drug dealer
brother and alcoholic father. The
atmosphere here is tense at the best
of times.
On the other side live Leah and her
mum. Leah's been kicked out of
school and passes her time listening
to her mum's old records - she's
become obsessed with the music of
the Mamas and the Papas and
particularly with Mama Cass.
Life drifts along for the three
friends, until one night Ste is
beaten up by his brother and flees
next door to the safety of Sandra's
flat. Sleeping embarrassed
head-to-toe, Jamie realises that he
is in love with Ste. As the bullying
continues, so Ste sleeps over with
Jamie even more. Here Ste finds a
motherly tenderness he has so far
missed out on in life. He finds
himself drawn more and more to
Jamie.
But it is not as straightforward as
that. How can you be gay on this
tough estate? As Ste and Jamie are
sorting things out in their heads,
Sandra discovers what is going on.
But she knows she can't kick Jamie
out. Her love for him is too strong,
and she decides to try and
understand. She has recently been
promoted and is about to start
running her own pub. But it is clear
that while things will always be
different, Ste will never tell his
dad or brother that he too is gay.
The film ends on an optimistic note
with Jamie and Ste slow-dancing in
the sunshine, and Leah and Sandra,
usually at each other's throats,
reconciling their differences and
slow-dancing alongside them. |
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