'Pride' (15)

*****

In 1984, a group of gay and lesbian activists decided to raise funds in support of the striking miners. Picking a mining town at random, they began to campaign on behalf of the workers in a small Welsh community, eventually travelling from London to meet the recipients of their charitable work.

I went into this film having already decided that I quite liked it – having read some interviews, watched the trailer a couple of times and then poured over the discussion board on IMDb, I eagerly awaited the day when I would find the time to see it. And I was not disappointed. Pride is a real life tale (with some embellishments, such as the character of newcomer Joe) about unlikely alliances and standing up to your oppressors, about discovering yourself and other people. There are moments of humour and happiness alongside heartfelt scenes of anguish and desperation, all supported with an excellent soundtrack. I laughed and cried in equal measure and was thoroughly entertained throughout. Joe (George MacKay) is our window into the world of the gay activists, being a fictionalised character who is just discovering his sexuality, and this plot device works rather well, allowing for other characters to explain situations without it feeling like forced exposition. MacKay is excellent as the wide-eyed, uncertain boy who develops into a confident young man working as the official photographer and the moment of his first kiss is handled sensitively, and the film avoids all attempts to loudly shout: ‘LOOK! THERE ARE TWO MEN KISSING!’ Ben Schnetzer is Mark, the leader of LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners), and I was completely shocked to discover that he is American, as his accent is so spot on. Mark is charismatic and driven, and Schnetzer inhabits the role beautifully, be at once both fragile and exceedingly strong. Andrew Scott also deserves a special mention in his role as Gethin, who fled Wales sixteen years previously after being rejected by his mother. Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Paddy Considine play members of the Welsh mining community and are essentially the only ‘big names’ of the film, but there are no egos on display here, instead they provide strong support for the young actors on displays. There are moments where you want to fist-pump and cheer, such as when Dominic West dances on the tables at the community hall, and also moments where I cried (the Welsh chorus) and wanted to throw things at the screen due to the sheer ignorance and prejudice from members of the public. All in all, it adds up to be a pretty enjoyable film.

There are perhaps a couple of issues I should raise: to begin, with such a vast number of characters, it is somewhat inevitable that some get side-lined and others remain almost entirely undeveloped. However, as a counter-argument, it could be said that the sheer number of people with speaking roles merely highlights the fact that the gay community was mingling with a large mining community, and this film does emphasis the sheer number of people struggling in just one Welsh village, let alone throughout the country. Also, I feel that the subject of AIDS was mostly overlooked. Of course, it is mentioned and discussed, but only briefly, and I felt that some further development on this topic would have helped to counteract some of the more overly positive scenes. Similarly, Mark’s sudden breakdown and outbursts at his friends comes slightly out of the blue, but Schnetzer puts in such a great performance that you can forgive the film for this minor lapse. Also, I wanted to know more about what happened to the activists and the miners after 1985 – we are given some information on some of the individuals as the credits role, but what happened to the rest of them? Perhaps we are to assume that they all lived happily ever after, and that makes a refreshing change from some of the downright depressing conclusions I’ve experienced.

Pride isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly close! It is simply a joy to spend time with these people, and I watched it with a big grin on my face (apart from when I was silently weeping). The cast are all excellent and it is impossible to resist the enthusiasm and general ‘good vibes’ that come pouring off the screen. I will definitely be buying this on DVD to watch with a mug of hot chocolate whenever I feel a bit glum.