Beginners (2010)

Written and Directed by Mike Mills

Starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent and Goran Visnjic

A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.

This movie has so much substance and thematic elements to it, it's hard not to enjoy it. A story dealing with love, life, the history of civilization between generations and gay rights, it brilliantly links all of these themes together into one coherent and emotional story.

A man so unsure about his ability to love due to the unexpected news that his father was secretly homosexual over the past 44 years, Ewan McGregor captures the confusion and insecurity of his character in a powerful performance. Winner of the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2012 Academy Awards, Christopher Plummer delivers a stellar rendering of a man finally content and confident enough to live as he is. The acting is undoubtedly the power behind this moving film.

Delightfully humorous and painfully honest, at it's core this is a film about the growth of acceptance of homosexuals over the decades and the trials they were put through during the mid-nineteenth century. It is as relevant today as it was three years ago, and I believe it will remain so for a while.

My Rating: 8/10