If you haven’t seen Beginners yet, you should check it out. What a great little gem of a movie. This film is definitely my favorite of 2011. Many people know the storyline of a man coming out as gay at age 70+, after his wife of many years passes away. Hal, played perfectly by Christopher Plummer, is also facing end-stage cancer. Ewan McGregor, never better than in this role, plays Hal’s son, Oliver, a talented L.A. illustrator.
As the story opens, Oliver is packing up Hal’s house and adopting Hal’s dog, Arthur. Cosmo stars as Arthur, and this film is so good that even the dog is outstanding. So anyway, a short time into the film, Oliver attends a Halloween party, and he meets Anna, a French actress. Mélanie Laurent is so very good in this role. She looks like a young Catherine Deneuve. Actually, her face changes with every camera angle. Oliver and Anna hit it off, and the remainder of the movie is the telling of their story and the telling of Hal’s story in flashback.
I have to mention the supporting cast. Not a single dud in the group. Goran Visnjik embues Hal’s much younger boyfriend, Andy, with playful energy. Oliver’s mom is played by Mary Page Keller, and she fleshes out the back story beautifully. Kai Lennox is Oliver’s graffiti artist/poser friend Elliot, who provides some of the many quirky moments of the movie. If this were my Oscar acceptance speech for the film, I’d probably say that I know I’m leaving many people out, but you get the idea: Beginners is not to be missed by anyone who loves indie films, appreciates performances where you couldn’t ask for more, or wants to view the blending of dark humor with serious themes and a lot of heart. – [DVD]
Comedy/Drama/Romance
Rated R