'Pride' depicts events in Britain during the year long miners' strike in 1984/85 when a small number of gays and lesbians provided support for a town of Welsh miners and brought together two disparate groups of individuals.
There are real characters depicted in the movie as the end credits make clear but I imagine some of the day to day events portrayed are a dramatic device. The movie is a little long and it is pity some of its length wasn't devoted to providing more explanation of the context of the strike and the intense passions and violence that arose in the dispute. This would be largely unknown to a younger audience unfamiliar with the history who otherwise might not appreciate the significance of the challenge both 'sides' faced in finding common ground.
The film is somewhat manipulative and predictable eliciting sympathy from the audience but I have to admit that it produced a very emotional response from me. Step back another twenty years to the 1960s and the young character Joe (George MacKay) was for all intents and purposes, me. That was me, with my sexuality concealed, growing up at home under my parents control and effectively leading a double life. I never developed a political streak however.
Although the film doesn't completely shy away from the nastiness of the times I feel it does portray events more rosily than I'm certain that they were, nevertheless I think this is an excellent movie.
★★★★
My partner suggested it was too long, but I did not find it to be. There was a lot to fit in. You may be right about the context of the strike not being well explained. I forget that I am of a certain age and read deeply of the horrors perpetrated by the English government at the time. The movie was a really good romp though.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I was amongst a bumper Friday afternoon audience almost exclusively of seniors who would well remember those times and it was very well received to the point of that rarity at the cinema, a smattering of applause at film's end.
DeleteMy cautious comments in the post are in part a self discipline to balance my initial emotional reaction that I'd just seen the most wonderful film of all time. It wasn't that; but it was very good.
D and I saw it at 9pm on a Tuesday night. There were 6 of us in the cinema. Maybe it did better at more senior-friendly times. The cynic in me detected my heart-strings being tugged at in a slightly manipulative way but I was happy to go along for the ride, which though well calculated I accepted as also well-intentioned.
ReplyDeleteI think we have all been happy to take the ride, marcellous.
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