Beautiful Thing is on Amazon video now!

That was such a cute feel good movie

R1 It came out the year I graduated from high school and the timing was just perfect for it to resonate with me. It really moved me then and now. I missed half the dialogue in the theatre though because of all the slang. Happy for closed captioning today!

It was such a lovely little movie.

"Kids are cunts."

I love this movie!!

Yes, this is one of my favourites two, and the two leads are so cute and adorable too. I got the DVD soon as it came out

Probably the best gay themed coming-of-age movie out there.

"A leopard never changes it spots, and a SLAPPER never changes her knickers".

Yeah it was a very touching film.

It followed the original play closely.

I prefer Ugly Thing

Jaime is unrecognizable today. He sells cars.

Ste and Leah both went on to star in Eastenders.

The scene where Mama Cass sings "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" in the background is very moving,

I've watched/listened to it at least three times so far, OP. It's been a favorite from the first time I saw it in 1998. Leah is wonderful both as an antagonist, AND comedic relief.

[quote] "Jaime is unrecognizable today. He sells cars."

I'd STILL hit it, R13. I think he looks great in that photo. And I don't think he's completely unrecognizable.

I think he looks great, too, R15, just so different. Ste looks pretty much the same.

R14 I agree, and I love how in the end Leah is an ally instead of an adversary, pairing up with the mother, who is both an ally and an adversary throughout the movie. It's based on a play by Jonathan Harvey and I love the compexity of the characters. Jamie is a wallflower and a pushover at school but at home, he's very assertive with his mother, her boyfriend, Ste and Leah. They're just all very realistic personalities despite all being heightened.

Video of 2013 reunion!

A lovely film. Just lovely.

This is one of my favourite scenes ever in a film.

"Eleanor Parker!"

Love this movie. Came out when I was in high school & I remember reading about it somewhere, then I found it on VHS at a gay bookshop (A Room of One's Own in Madison). Such a tender movie, really just a joy to watch. Great acting all around.

Really wonderful movie.

Been years since seen the film. Recall bits including the ending of two young men dancing together at that council estate, and mother of one looking on saying "I'll never have grandkids....".

This was my mom’s favorite movie in high school. She said it was the film that made her realize she wanted to have a gay son.

Other bit remember is the black girl who was friends with one or both of the lads having a row. She went on that when queried told father of one of the boys they slept "head to foot" (even though she knew differently). Her point to the dad was that no vice occurred, and it was nothing more than to lads kipping in same bed.

2013 cast reunion!

Browsing through HMV near Lincoln Center one Saturday afternoon came upon the soundtrack for Beautiful Thing in discount bin. For a few bucks figured why not?

And this was one of the reasons why!

Beautiful Thing was one of the damn best gay coming of age stories (not that there have been very many) in any sort of media.

The film was filmed near where I grew up. The internal shots were actually filmed inside properties owned/used by Radio Thamesmead. A friend of my parents was a DJ for the station and when they were looking for extras told me I should go for it. I'm in the final scene where they're dancing.

The pub they go to is the old Duke of Gloucester in Greenwich, which has sadly been turned into a tourist trap gastro pub.

I was a closeted teen at the time but being part of the film and recognising so much of it, not just the locations, really meant a lot to me.

From the passionate snogging you'd never guess Glen Berry is straight. Don't know about Scott Neal who played a few other gay roles on screen.

R31

So which one are you then?

I love how the movie starts out showing Jaime being bullied and Ste being one of the cool kids and in the end scene above, Jaime is the strong one who leads Ste to dance and Ste is clinging onto him for dear life.

Ah yes British gay movies. What was the other one from this era - Get Real I think it was.

Tameka Empson is a brilliant comic actress and is the best thing in EastEnders.

R35

Don't forget "My Beautiful Launderette"....