Pride

If you don't laugh, don't shed a tear, or don't want to get up and cheer at the end, then you weren't paying attention during this movie. Based on a true story, this is a film about how two unlikely groups came together in the troubling times of the early 80s in the U.K., but in addition to that, there are a lot of side stories that occur at the same time. Excellent character development (especially after the first 20 minutes), which is critical for a based-on-true-life film. The acting is superb. Listen carefully for the deadpan humor the British are known for: especially if you're not used to London and Welsh accents. Highly recommend this movie to anyone who needs a lift and a reminder that *people are good.*

In the summer of 2014, my wife and I went to a north London dinner party where one of the other guests was Mike Jackson, a leading member of Lesbians and Guys Support the Miners ((LGSM), a support group during the bitter industrial dispute of 1984-85 which provided money and assistance to a mining community in South Wales. He told us how he had been acting as a principal adviser to writer Stephen Beresford and director Matthew Warchus who had crafted the forthcoming film "Pride" which explored this unlikely pairing of groups fighting the iniquities of Thatcher's Britain and he made clear his delight at how the subject had been treated for the big screen.

So, the first weekend that the movie was on show, four of us from that dinner party were in the cinema to view it and we were all thrilled with how brilliantly this story has been told. Some of us even cried.

The film is unashamedly political, both in its representation of the prejudice against homosexuals at a time was AIDS was devastating the gay community and the hostility of ministers, media and police to the miners' fight to keep pits open, but the treatment ensures that this is an immensely entertaining and often very funny work. Although the movie wears its political heart on its sleeve, it avoids an over-simplistic portrayal of the gay cause by showing entrenched opposition to their involvement in the miners dispute from sections of the Welsh community and challenge from gays themselves as to why they should be involved in a workers' strike, although the controversy of the lack of a ballot authorising the strike itself is avoided.

The script is a triumph with every line making an impact and telling us something and there are some wonderful jokes. A disco dancing scene and a solo-to-group singing session are destined to become favourite recollections of a memorable movie. The cast is magical: a combination of distinguished character actors like Imelda Staunton, Dominic West and Bill Nighy (although his South Wales accent is wobbly) and young newcomers like Ben Schnetzer, Joseph Gilgun and George MacKay. And there is remarkable attention to period detail (we had the same design of coffee cup as in an early scene), enhanced by music from the time.

Although GLSM was eventually shunned by the official strike committee and the miners lost the strike and almost all of Britain's pits have subsequently closed, the concluding scenes of the film and the final bits of informative text turn this historic interaction into a success that should inspire the present day gay community and labour movement alike. As Mike Jackson put it in an article about the film: "The one thing the ruling class don't want is solidarity; they don't want us to join the dots up."

Just been to the avant-premiere in Paris: The movie is absolutely magical. Not to oversell it, but it's a must-see. It's funny but very moving, with a perfect blend of "comedy" and seriousness (because these were dark times, both for the miners and the gay community). The dialogues are really good, well though-out, and delivered convincingly by a stellar cast, who are always believable in their roles.

It's not just "good for an indie gay movie" - it's an incredibly powerful movie that ranks right up with the best of them this year (and with stars such as Bill Nighy and Imelda Satunton, and a probably fair budget, it doesn't have an "amateur" / "indie" feel at all either).

Anyway, worth the price of admission (unlike, unfortunately, so many movies these days...)

Some films when they are in pre-release have so much hype and advertising running behind them that by the time the film is actually released we have seen three or four different trailers that have usually given away all the bets bits of the film leaving a sour and disappointing taste in our mouths and a feeling as though we have just wasted our time once we get around to actually seeing them. Then there are some films that deserve the hype and publicity that only ever get minimal, usually these films belong to a film festival and it's only through word of mouth that they make it to their intended audience. Pride is a film that was first released at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival winning a standing ovation and the Queer Palm award from there it went onto a limited release schedule mostly being involved in Queer Film Festivals around the world. Pride is a true life story based around the British Miner's Strike in 1984, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and not very popular, not with miners and especially not with the gay and lesbian community either. Joe, a young naïve closeted gay boy arrives in London to take part in his first gay pride march, soon after arriving Joe is taken in by a local gay and lesbian rights activist group who do their part to raise funds to fight their foe Thatcher and her evil ways. Soon after the group realise that both the Miner's and the gay community have a lot in common they make the decision to start raising funds for the families of the miners in a little Welsh town called Onllwyn. The miners reject the gay and lesbian activists money believing it will do more harm than good for their cause so the group unfazed but a little perplexed decide to take the money personally to the town to hand it over and explain their situation and hopefully form a new alliance against the countries Prime Minister and her party… Pride is set in a very bleak and dark time of British history but I feel that it's never actually shown that way, sure things are dark and gray but I wish the director just added more hardship to his final edit for the film, not being a part of it personally but remembering how harsh it was from school study and other films I have seen over time. I don't think the film was shown as brutally honest as it should have been, from what I know of those days; they were horrid, times were rough and extremely hard, I just wish that it was portrayed a little more than what we were given. That is my only concern with the film, which says a lot I feel. None-the-less it is a fantastic well made, well directed and full of amazing actors that really bring the story to life, the story is really well scripted and the actors chosen in their respective roles have done an amazing job. Staring Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead) as Cliff, Imelda Staunton (Maleficent, Vera Drake) as Hefina Headon, Dominic West (John Carter, The Awakening) as Jonathan Blake, Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, The World's End) as Dai Donovan, George MacKay (How I live Now, Peter Pan) as Joe "Bromley" Cooper who is one of the few fictional characters created for the film and a whole heap of others, it is actually a very great cast everyone did their part to make the film work. As I said earlier the cinematography of the film was good I just wish it was darker like the times it is set in. The director and his crew have done a great job with this film written by Stephen Beresford and directed by Matthew Warchus (Simpatico). Pride is a feel good film with a fantastic story that can be shared with all your loved ones, there are a couple of scenes that may be a deemed a little over the top but perhaps you can use that to answer some curious minds if questions are asked. Pride is an amazing story that brings two very different worlds together for one great cause.

I have just watched this film and on a personal level it affected me greatly. I was a young gay man in 1984 and I and friends, travelled to both the 84 and 85 Pride marches in London. I remember the Miners support at the 85 and we were greatly touched at the time. The movie got the details exactly right, I and many of my gay friends were on lots of marches including the ones against Clause 28 the evil Tory piece of legislation that outlawed promotion of homosexuality in schools and publicly funded museums and art gallerias (among others).

What I want to say about this film is that young gay and straight people should see it. It is immensely moving and funny. Just the right balance. I wept throughout and laughed because it brought to life my youth as I lived it in protest against that evil woman and her kind who dared to tell us how to live our lives, and who we couldn't legally love. It was scary times, AIDS, homophobia and arrest for protest.

I probably can't be objective because of my involvement as a youth in gay protest, it brought raw emotions to recall how angry we young people were then. But more importantly for me it reminded me like it was only yesterday of the immense Pride we felt at fighting for our rights and anyone who was a victim of hatred and prejudice.

All of the actors were a delight, and the portrayal of working class solidarity spot on and very emotional. I loved the fact that it had that British humour that is so peculiar to this country. The details were very true to the time, I recognised the clothes, the music and how tatty gay clubs were with peeling paint on the walls. It is a film that brings to life a time that has not been portrayed before, of protest, solidarity and how together we can change things.

I'm glad that such a film can be made and successful in this country now as a mainstream film as well. Maybe that shows that the protest of our youth changed things. I can get married now if I wish and thanks to a Tory PM, who'd have thought it? So one big thank you to all involved for making this 50 something gay man remember so vividly, and in spite of the dark days portrayed, our youthful struggle and reminding us that we really did something wonderful and change things, as this film is proof positive that we did just by the fact that is got made.

I hope that young gay people, who still cope with the same problems we did, isolated, alone, and scared can watch this film and gain strength from it and join the fight against prejudice still to be won.