from Universal Pictures
Directed by
Stephen Daldry
Starring
Julie
Walters (Mrs. Wilkinson)
Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot)
Jamie Draven (Tony)
Jean Heywood
Gary Lewis (Billy's Dad)
Stuart Wells (Michael)
Written by
Lee Hall
Rated: 
(for language) |
 "The secret
to dancing is that it is about everything except dancing."
- Martha Graham
The life of 11-year-old Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell), a coal
miner's son in Northern England, is forever changed one day when
he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson.
Before long, he finds himself in dance, demonstrating the kind
of raw talent seldom seen by the class' exacting instructor,
Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters). With a tart tongue and a never-ending
stream of cigarettes in her hand, Mrs. Wilkinson's zest for teaching
is revived when she sees Billy's potential. Rather forgetting
the other ballerinas, she's drawn into teaching her new protege.
But Billy must keep his participation in the class a secret from
his widowed father (Gary Lewis) and overbearing brother (Jamie
Draven), as both men are on strike from their jobs at the mine,
and are struggling just to keep food on the table. Their pent
up frustrations finally explode when they discover Billy has
been squandering his boxing money on less than manly pursuits.
Banned from ballet, and troubled by the diminishing mental capacity
of his grandmother (Jean Heywood), Billy finds solace with his
school friend Michael (Stuart Wells) which deepens into a touching
friendship. Meanwhile, Mrs. Wilkinson encourages Billy to try
out for the Royal Ballet School in London, where he can refine
his craft while escaping his oppressive surroundings. But he
is torn between his responsibility to his family and to the gift
with which he has been blessed. For his overwhelming desire to
dance is more than a means of self-expression. It is his passion,
and it is his destiny.
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