Pride (2014)
On This Day in Film review the latest British 'strike' comedy.
Director: Marcus Warchus
Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West & Paddy Considine
Running Time: 120 mins
Release date: 12 Sept, 2014 (UK) & 26 Sept, 2014
Worldwide Gross: $ 1,169,308
Basic Plot:
It’s 1984 and the National Union of Mineworkers has begun their lengthy strike against the closure of Britain’s coalmines. Seeing a common foe in the police and Thatcher administration, Gay activist Mark (Ben Schnetzer) begins to raise money in support of the miners. Along with friends Mike (Joe Gilgun), Jeff (Freddie Fox), Steph (Faye Marsay), couple Gethin (Andrew Scott) and Jonathan (Dominic West) and the closeted Joe (George McKay) they form Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. Having raised a large amount of money for the Welsh mining community of Dulais the members of LGSM are invited by community leader Dai (Paddy Considine) to meet the locals including Cliff (Bill Nighy) and Hefina (Imelda Staunton). However there is opposition from members of the community who don’t want their cause associated with gays and lesbians.
Clock Watching? = 19/20
Even at 120 minutes Pride flies by with enough energy, humour and charm to spare. The set-up is swift but completely organic with the introduction of its cause, the conflicts it creates and its initial successes handled at a brisk pace. The principle members of LGSM are all sufficiently distinct flavours of camp meaning none feel disposable or limited to their sexuality as characterisation. Similarly the locals of Dulais are written with enough depth to avoid working class stereotypes even if the gag of elderly British ladies casually conversing about sex is a little overdone. The film’s main problem is that it seems more concerned with its culture clash comedy than the hardships faced by both the miners and LGSM. As a result the ultimate failure of the strikes loses a good dose of its inherent tragedy.
Oscar Performances? = 15/20
Make no mistake everyone here is on good form showing off their charismatic camp, sincere pathos and a healthy amount of working class wisdom from the folks at Dulais. West in particular is a revelation shedding his stern-faced menace as the flamboyant (to use 1950s-talk) actor Jonathan Blake. Bill Nighy is also on top form as the union secretary whose casual approval to the appearance of LGSM seems almost uncanny. Nighy develops the role nicely with a very sweet payoff which is driven home in his final line of the film.
True to the film’s theme of solidarity though, Pride is a group effort with no one actor giving a bigger or more powerful performance than the other. If it were possible Oscars would go to them all.
Lights, Camera, Direction? = 17/20
1980s Britain has been lovingly recreated through tight jeans and chunky vans. The period aesthetic particularly shines through at the ‘Pits and Perverts Benefit Gig’ whose designs will likely be on every hipster’s t-shirt by Monday. Aside from that a mostly subdued film on a technical level with much of the film cast in bright, uplifting tones which only emphasised the film’s tendency towards rose-tinting. The one big exception is the Dulais scenes which seem to have been shot through a filter even grimmer than Castle Black.
Tell a Friend? = 20/20
Unless they are especially squeamish on the subject of homosexuality (trust me the most is some tasteful making out) tell all your friends. Pride is a joyous film in similar vein to Calendar Girls and The Full Monty and if you enjoy those kinds of British culture-clash comedies you’ll enjoy this. Easily the most unabashed fun you can have now that Guardians of the Galaxy is out of theatres.
Again? = 15/20
Pride is a distinctly small film. Rewatching over and over again won’t summon any kind of grand sense of scale. Nor will you catch any obscure Easter Eggs lurking in the background on repeat viewings. I’d likely wait for the DVD to see again but would heartily recommend if you’re at a particular low ebb and need a sudden injection of joy.
Total = 86%
A charming comedy with a lot to say about the power of solidarity, not to be missed.
by Liam Macloed
