Movie Review - Pride: the feel-good movie you won't realise you've been waiting for!

I saw Pride the day after it was announced that the people of Scotland narrowly voted in favour of remaining part of the United Kingdom, and it immediately felt to me that this is a film that has arrived at the right moment.  It tells the true story of how, during 1984's bitter Miner's Strike, members of London's Lesbian and Gay community raised money to support the communities of the striking miners.  After a number of knock backs (essentially, Miner's groups and community groups hanging up the phone when they mention they're calling from 'Lesbians & Gays Support Miners'), they eventually find a mining town in Wales willing to accept the money they have raised.  This film charts the cultural and lifestyle gap that the two groups close as they form a bond from the support of 'LGSM', obviously encountering but overcoming prejudice as they do so; it finds a great amount of humour along the way, and manages to tell this story in a rousing and uplifting way.

On the one hand, this film is filled with exactly the sort of story tropes you'd expect to find in any that touches on these subjects, especially the elements focused on the gay community.  You've got the tale of a young man who daren't come out to his family, the spectre of AIDS/HIV, 'queer-bashing', tearful reunions with estranged families, the one family in the community that won't put prejudice aside, and the odd bout of disco dancing.  When the story treads in to these areas beyond the central narrative, you can see exactly where each is going.  But whilst this might have been the film's downfall, the great cast, each bringing warmth and humanity to their (not always deeply scripted) roles, prevents the clichés from overwhelming the heart of it.  And this film does have a tremendous cast, ranging from national treasures like Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton; the cream of the current generation like Paddy Considine and Dominic West; and rising talent such as Andrew Scott, George MacKay, and Faye Marsay.

This film will probably make you want to cheer, too..!

The script is effective at firstly making the most of the humour in situations it arises from (one scene in particular is possibly the funniest I've seen this year); but also in making sure that each rousing, emotional moment truly hits its mark.  Who cares if it's daft that a rallying speech at the Mining Union's club bar provokes an impromptu bit of communal singing?  Chances are you'll be covered in goosebumps, or wiping away a speck of sentiment from the corner of your eye, so you'll completely excuse it.  This film is so uplifting and rousing audiences have been giving it standing ovations, and there are plans to turn it in to a musical.

It is because this film hits these marks so well - the moments of joy and humour - and that the cast is uniformly brilliant (as well as, naturally, the attention to period detail - if you're a fan of 1980's music you'll really enjoy this film), that despite its adherence to well established formulas, it is still a resounding success.  Every so often a British film comes along that the film goes of the UK can really get behind and cheer on to success - this then is THE essential British film of 2014.  Funny, joyful and rousing, it is a great crowd pleaser.

You'll probably find yourself laughing as much as these ladies...

And going back to what I was saying at the beginning, I personally feel that this is a film we need for our country at this time.  I couldn't help but draw parallels with nowadays: the Lesbian and Gay community are inspired to help the miners after seeing them vilified by the national media, and bullied by the police and authorities, in the same way they had been for decades.  Today, rather than tackling problems head on, it is easier for the tabloid press to whip up fear and hatred of people on benefits or immigrants - much the way they did with the gay community and miners in the 1980's.  But this film shows that it is possible for two very different groups to overcome potential divisions and not only support, but also befriend each other.  Things can be better when people work together - and I think that if people would stop listening to fear-mongering media and press that seeks to divide us and stop us seeing bigger problems, then maybe we can make our country a better place.

Emotive rhetoric for sure, but if you don't come out of watching 'Pride' in some way inspired or optimistic, then I wonder if you've really been watching the film at all..!