“Pride”
is the very close to perfect movie that it seems only the English know
how to make. It pulls at your heart strings, makes you smile and laugh,
then ends making you want to cheer!

The movie is based on a true
story about a group of Lesbians and Gays from London who go to
Llandello, Wales, after collecting money to help the striking miners,
showing solidarity between two groups who are marginalized, oppressed
and shunned, especially by the government.

The film opens with
the Gay Pride March in 1984 and ends with the Gay Pride March in 1985.
In between we see the interaction between the Gays and miners, some of
the latter accepting the former while some are against them. There is
really only one villain as through various actions, conversations and
incidents most come to accept each other.

Most of the characters
are clichés from the boy on the verge of coming out to the man in the
village who has lived his life in the closet but the actors make you
forget what you know is going to happen. Each actor gets a ‘star’ turn
and though some have bigger roles, such as Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton,
Ben Schnetzer, Paddy Consindine, Andrew Scott, Dominic West and George
MacKay than others all earn a well deserved acknowledgement so be sure
to stay for the credits.

It is almost a perfect movie but the
director, Matthew Warchus, and the screenwriter, Stephen Beresford, try
to cover too many characters and don’t have, or take the time, to see
them through while original music by Christopher Nightingale at times
overcomes the scenes.

All in all this is definitely a movie to
see and, on a personal note, I want to take the next flight to
Llandello, Carmartheshire and Danwen in Wales, plus drive across that
magnificent bridge. I did research but couldn’t find out the name of the
bridge so if anyone knows please let me know!