Pride preview film review

First of all, thanks to blog follower Andrea, we now know that the Saga Ghost Story competition results will be revealed in their Halloween issue:

Saga Ghost Story Competition:
http://www.saga.co.uk/saga-magazine/2014/september/editors-letter-counting-down.aspx

Better late than never.

Thanks to See Film First, my husband and I went to a preview screening of Pride at the Leeds Light yesterday morning.

IMDB says: UK gay and lesbian activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.

In this Matthew Warchus (Simpatico, Matilda) directed and Stephen Beresford (Where There's Smoke, That Thing You Drew) written film, Ben Schnetzer (The Book Thief, Happy Town) stars as Mark, leader of LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support Miners) a group of activists that raise money to help the workers during the Miners Strike.  Fellow members include Mike (Joe Gilgun: Being Human, This Is England), Jeff (Freddie Fox: Worried About The Boy, The Three Musketeers), Reggie (Chris Overton: Oliver Twist, The Phantom of the Opera), Gethin (Andrew Scott: best known as Moriarty from TVs Sherlock), Jonathon (Dominic West: The Wire, 300) Steph (Faye Marsay: The White Queen Fresh Meat), Zoe (Jessie Cave: best known for playing Lavender Brown, girlfriend to Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films) and new member Joe (George MacKay, Defiance, Peter Pan), known as Bromley, who is struggling to come out.

When the small mining community in Wales they are supporting invite them over, Dai (Paddy Considine, The Bourne Ultimatum, Cinderella Man) speaker for the group worries whether the locals be tolerant or accepting like Sian (Jessica Gunning, Law and Order: UK, Ghost in the Machine), new helper and also a striking miners wife.  Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Hot Fuzz) stars as Cliff, one of the older members of the community group who is struggling to ease tensions between matriarchs Hefina (Imelda Staunton, Harry Potter, Vera Drake) and his widowed sister-in-law

All the acting is fine and the film does not have the feel of an indie flick, as issues such as equality, intolerance and HIV are dealt with sensitively without preaching.  The striking backdrop and catchy music (including a concert featuring Bronski Beat) cements the time perfectly and although the film has some genuine laugh-out-loud moments amongst the drama, there are plenty of scenes that reflect the true darkness of the time.  This movie is a true example of a great British film.

Based on a true story, this film will really make you think.                     8/10



#Pride  #SeeFilmFirst  #BillNighy  #ImeldaStaunton