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Beginners

Play trailer Poster for Beginners R Released Jun 3, 2011 1h 45m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 159 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
After his mother dies, Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is stunned when his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, comes out of the closet. When Hal passes away a few years later, Oliver grows depressed, struggling with his failing career as an artist while constantly remembering his childhood and time spent with his dad. Oliver's loneliness is eased when he meets actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent), but their relationship is threatened by their mutual fear of commitment.
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Critics Consensus

Wearing its twee heart on its sleeve, Beginners explores the depths of modern, multi-generational romance with wit and depth.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator It's OK, I suppose, and quite sweet. But I couldn't love it for proper, probably because its characters are always more interested in themselves than we are in them, plus it's just too self-consciously tricksy. Aug 31, 2018 Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online ... at its core, Beginners is about finding happiness, even at the end. Rated: A Sep 8, 2017 Full Review Amy Taubin Film Comment Magazine Mike Mills treats love and loss with a disarming tenderness and a refusal of sentimentality that make Beginners, his second feature, something of an anomaly among male identity flicks. What a finely wrought, wryly funny, transcendently sad movie this is. Jul 12, 2013 Full Review Kathy Fennessy Seattle Film Blog I wish [Mike] Mills had dug even deeper. I found Beginners charming, but not as moving as I expected. Still, I would recommend this delicately directed film. Rated: 3/4 Jul 31, 2024 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Mills has delivered a moving film worth celebrating, one whose idiosyncrasies are nothing short of charming, and whose small story is eclipsed by its considerable heart. Rated: 4/4 Mar 6, 2023 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy In any other movie, the key character of Arthur, a soulful Jack Russell terrier, would draw all the attention away from the two-legged protagonists, but the performances by the three leads are so superb that everyone is able to share in the glory. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 15, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Faiz D A wonderful, touching and clever indie film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/29/24 Full Review PridePosterStudios Arthur the Jack Russell: ally, dog of few words, Oscar-winner. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/24/24 Full Review tomato S brilliant.. loved the movie soo much. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/27/23 Full Review KEVIN C Beautiful film about a father and son relationship starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer. Plummet's character comes out of the closet after his wife of 40 plus years passes on, and begins living the life he longed for his whole life but his advanced age and health don't give him too much time. Meanwhile McGregor's character has his own struggles finding love. Really wonderful performances from the leads as well as Melanie Laurent. Touching, funny and the style of storytelling is quite enjoyable and whimsical. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Anita P I was interested in every scene - each had a different emotional temperature, and yet the story held together thanks to having very good leading characters. It was sad but had a sense of humor. How better to reflect life itself. MacGregor and Plummer formed a believable relationship. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review dave s With a past shrouded in sorrow, Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is having difficulty finding joy and satisfaction in life. After his mother's death from a terminal illness, his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) decides to pursue his personal happiness by coming out of the closet, only to be diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly afterwards. Oliver finds solace in the arms Anna (Melanie Laurent) and his father's dog Arthur (who steals every scene), but finds that overcoming emotional hurdles is no easy task. As always, director Mike Mills provides the audience with fresh insights into relationships and gives us characters that feel like they should be difficult to relate to, but somehow aren't. It is fresh, original, and no where near as depressing as it all sounds. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis After his mother dies, Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is stunned when his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, comes out of the closet. When Hal passes away a few years later, Oliver grows depressed, struggling with his failing career as an artist while constantly remembering his childhood and time spent with his dad. Oliver's loneliness is eased when he meets actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent), but their relationship is threatened by their mutual fear of commitment.
Director
Mike Mills
Producer
Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Mark Levinson
Screenwriter
Mike Mills
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Parts & Labor, Northwood Productions (II), Olympus Pictures
Rating
R (Some Sexual Content|Language)
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 3, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.8M
Runtime
1h 45m
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