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Billy Elliot
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02:22
Billy Elliot
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- 2000
- Stephen Daldry
- 107 mins
- 15
Summary
Drama set against the 1984 miners' strike, starring Jamie Bell, Julie Walters and Gary Lewis. Eleven-year-old Billy Elliot faces a grim life in a northern colliery town. Then he discovers an unlikely love for ballet and, urged on by formidable dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson, seeks to improve his prospects.
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IMDB
Review
A star rating of 4 out of 5.
David Parkinson
Stage director Stephen Daldry made his feature debut with this amiable study of daring to be different in the face of intractable tradition. Comparisons with Brassed Off and Kes come to mind, but the decision to set this story of an 11-year-old north-easterner's bid to become a ballet dancer against the backdrop of the 1984 miners' strike has more emotional resonance than social relevance. It's the heart, not the conscience, that Daldry is keenest to tweak, and he succeeds triumphantly, thanks largely to Jamie Bell's eager performance in the title role (for which he won a Bafta and earned an Oscar nomination), and the marvellous supporting turns from Gary Lewis as Billy's reactionary dad and Julie Walters as his chain-smoking dance instructor.
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7.7/10
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Credits
Cast
rolenameBillyJamie BellMrs WilkinsonJulie WaltersDadGary LewisTonyJamie DravenGrandmotherJean HeywoodGeorge WatsonMike ElliotMichaelStuart WellsBilly aged 25Adam Cooper (2)PrincipalPatrick MalahideVice-principalBarbara Leigh-Hunt
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Crew
rolenameDirectorStephen Daldry
Details
Theatrical distributor
UIP
Released on
2000-09-29
Languages
English
Guidance
Swearing.
Available on
video, DVD and Blu-ray
Formats
Colour
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