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Wearing its twee heart on its sleeve, Beginners explores the depths of modern, multi-generational romance with wit and depth. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
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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Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language)
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Genre: Drama, Lgbtq+
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Original Language: English
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Director: Mike Mills
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Producer: Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen
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Writer: Mike Mills
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Release Date (Theaters): limited
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $5.8M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Focus Features
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Production Co: Parts & Labor
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for Beginners
Critic Reviews for Beginners
Audience Reviews for Beginners
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How can anyone learn to love or love freely when we all come from such flawed backgrounds, when no one knows how to love? This work intelligently explores this dynamic with two souls who come together specifically because of their tangled roots and their innate distrust of even themselves. Put this on a double feature with The Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind.
kevin w Super Reviewer -
Independent cinema can range from a student film with not a single dollar to its budget, to an Oscar-nominated film worth 40-50 million dollars. As long as its not backed by one of the wide distributors worldwide, its technically an indie film. That being said, Beginners is about as indie as indie gets when comparing it to some of the wider releases. While this is not a difficult film to sit through, it may not appeal to everyone. Independent films have always been able to tell simpler and more bizarre stories, due to the fact that they are not relying on a big box office return in order to make their film. This is a sweet 100 minute film about life and accepting certain things throughout it. Released back in 2010, there is a reason it didn't win too many awards, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I believe it to be a very enjoyable piece of filmmaking. If you are a fan of cinema and have yet to see Beginners, here is why I think it's worth your time. Following Oliver, a 38-year-old man who is living with a recently tortured past, as he falls in love one more time, the film begins to explore what has given him such grief over the past few years. Having his mother pass away after being married to his father for over 45 years, to then find out his father had actually been gay the entire time, to having to accept him falling for another man, to then having to take care of him as he passed away four years later, Ewan McGregor delivers a wonderfully sincere performance here. In a film that desperately needs its leading man to deliver the goods, McGregor was perfect casting decision. This film deals with a lot of heartbreak, but that's life, right? Unlike films like Blue Valentine or the recent Manchester by the Sea (films with hardly any levity), the romantic aspect is truly the only thing giving life to this saddening premise. Beginners is a very heartfelt story about to unlikely people falling in love, while the past is looming over them like a bad disease. It's definitely not a film that warrants many viewings, but it's a nice treat for independent film fans. To me, in order to balance a film perfectly, there has to be an even amount of happy to go along with the sad. This film does that in spades, which is why I enjoyed it so much. That being said, the main issue I have with this film is in its simplicity. Sure, some people may find the fact that a 75-year-old man falling in love with a 35-year-old man to be risky territory, but if you are willing to explore an aspect like that, why not go for it? Their relationship is not explored enough in my opinion, leaving little to no impact on me for the future setting of this film. Flashing back and forth through time to show how our main character got to be where he is, I found the present day more interesting than the past, due to the fact that the interesting portions of the past feel incomplete and not fleshed out enough. Beginners is a very ambitious film in the way it tells its story, but fails to impress all that much. In the end, Beginners is a very important story that more people need to see. It went under the radar upon release and I believe quite a few people missed it. Without much awards consideration, it still accumulated quite a few positive reviews. I think this is a very solid film worth checking out. With great writing for each character on-screen, some fine directing, and a premise that takes a few chances (even though not nearly enough), this is s piece of cinema worth checking out. I don't see myself ever coming to love this film in the future, but I would definitely consider a few viewings to revisit these likeable characters. Beginners is a solid watch.
KJ P Super Reviewer -
Honestly couldn't get into this. Cover is so cute, movie doesn't match it at all. Kind of dull toned, slow pace...well, just dull. The gay dad angle was good, but didn't care about either of the two leads. Turned it off after half hour.
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If Ewan McGregor got the Oscar instead of Christopher Plummer, I would rate Beginners higher than this. I hate the fact that people will actually watch Beginners because one of the actor got an Oscar nomination. If any, McGregor should have been nominated at least, instead. Now, I am not bashing Plummer, the man is a gem in movie industry as it is, but his character is the weakest in any movie I've seen. Plummer played a gay character who came out of the closet after his wife died. Aside from exploring his 'new' freedom, Hal (Plummer) is a father to one broken-soul, relationship-scared son, Oliver, who stand besides him all the way through his dead bed. The writer / director try hard to pursue an idea and to feed us this image, that Hal is a wonderful old man who found his happiness at the end, but instead, the character, strikes me as a non-loving, selfish and self-centered father figure who only think about himself and acted like a kid on a summer holiday throughout the movie. There was no redemption or disclosure attempt at all. Once you moved away from the Plummer versus McGregor debate, to the actual movie, you will enjoyed it very much. I especially loved the relationship between McGregor and Laurent, it was honestly written and beautifully acted by the two leads. If any, please watch Beginners for these two. 6.2/10.
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