Beautiful Thing (DVD)

What does BT mean to you? Does it mean something wonderful? Something liberating? Or something beautiful? Okay, probably not, but, believe it or not, to a lot of people BT stands for 'Beautiful Thing' - this beautiful thing, this film. It is exactly what it says on the box. (Unless you're a Daily Mail reader, in which case it's part of Channel 4's mission to destroy the fabric of society by spreading filthy homosexual propaganda.) Beautiful Thing began life as a play, written by Jonathan Harvey in 1993, and is set on the Thamesmead estate in London during a hot spell in May of that year. It was filmed in 1995 as part of Channel ...  Read the complete review

You are at high school at the later end of your education and the last thing you want is to play football with the ‘popular’ lads. So you bunk off. Back you go to your high rise council flat summers day in the middle of a heat wave. For that journey, you don’t seem to have a care in the world, running along, then getting back home for a sandwich and to pop yourself down in front of an old black and white movie. Then your mum comes home. Life is tough dealing with your sexuality, having to deal with your crush on the boy next door and the mother who is transfixed on her new hippy boyfriend. However, you can’t believe your luck. Ste next door, gets in ...  Read the complete review

Where Brokeback Mountain was an amazing insight into unrequited love that you truly believed in, this is a British version that can be embarrassing to watch in places, but in the way that it should, especially where teenagers are concerned. Created in 1996 on an infinitesimally small budget, it marks two teenagers and their exploration of sexuality. The main characters of Scott Neal and Glen Berry offer good insights into what most teenagers go through during puberty and so I can believe what's going on. The setting of a bleak council estate also adds to the stress but that's not delved upon in as much detail as the South London location in the time it's done ...  Read the complete review

This is a touching British film which certainly has some amusing moments but is also a great story about two boys falling in love on a tough South London estate, I must say that the two young lead actors produce two very mature performances which belies their relative youth. Cast List Linda Henry ... Sandra Gangel Meera Syal ... Miss Chauhan Glen Berry ... Jamie Gangel Martin Walsh ... Mr. Bennett Steven M. Martin ... Ryan McBride Scott Neal ... Ste Pearce Tameka Empson ... Leah Russell Andrew Fraser ... Jayson Ben Daniels ... Tony John Savage ... Lenny Julie Smith ...  Read the complete review

A really sweet and charming film, one that stands the test of time and repeat viewing. The story of Jamie and his crush on Ste a neighbour. Set in Thamesmead in London, the estate provides the backdrop to the story. Oddly considering it's a 60's housing estate it looks really well and there's not a hint of housing estate = deprivation. Jamie lives with his mother, (Linda Henry playing her Eastenders character basically) next to Ste and Leah, his Mamas and Papas obsessed neighbour. It's basically a coming out story/love story and it's handled so well, serious at points and funny in others. The boys bond and develop their relationship, ...  Read the complete review