Beautiful Thing

Hettie McDonald, UK 1996, 90 minutes

The grey tower blocks of a Thamesmead council estate are an unlikely setting for a love story, but this film is a story of triumph over prejudice in more than one sense (it shows that happiness can shine in British films that don't have Hugh Grant in them). Leave Ken Loach behind for a moment, as we enter the world of Ste and Jamie...

Jamie, unpopular at school, lives with his mother Sandra, in a concrete council block in London. On one side lives Ste and his violent father, on the other Leah (who thinks of herself as the next Mama Cass), and her exasperated mother. When Ste gets one too many beatings from his Dad, Sandra offers him shelter in her flat sleeping top and tail with Jamie. This acts as a catalyst to the romantic relationship that Jamie and Ste develop.

Jonathan Harvey's acclaimed play, an enjoyable combination of fantasy and gritty reality, makes a successful transformation to screen. This is largely thanks to the direction of first-timer Hettie McDonald, the superb acting from the three central characters: Ste (Scott Neal), Jamie (Glen Berry) and Sandra (Linda Henry) and the witty, touching dialogue of Harvey's writing.

The beauty of this film is the attention and the tenderness paid to the intertwining subplots: Sandra trying to get a job as a pub manager to make a break for it; the relationship between Sandra's dippy-hippy boyfriend and Jamie; Ste's parental abuse and Leah's expulsion from school. All are given space to breathe and add extra laughs, seriousness and character to the central romance.

Straight, gay, bi, lesbian, celibate, bestial or none of the above, see this with your girlfriend, boyfriend, mates, or even your mother This film will show you that love can be a very beautiful thing indeed.

Review by Scott M Keir
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98