By SETH HYNES
Pride
Starring: Ben Schnetzer, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine, Bill Nighy
Rated M for mature themes, coarse language, sexual references and brief nudity
PRIDE is one of the queerer films based on a true story to come out (puns intended) in a while.
During the UK miners’ strike, caused by Margaret Thatcher’s crackdown on the unions, members of the London gay community decide to pledge their support to a struggling Welsh village.
Pride is often tremendously funny while still being poignant and touching, and derives tension from the tug-of-war of public opinion.
It succeeds in being uplifting, charming and very gay-positive without being patronising, as issues affecting gay people then and now – prejudice, moral panic, coming out and HIV – are not avoided but rather confronted head-on.
The struggle toward gay rights and acceptance is fully realised in this film, but so is the unexpected hope.
The only significant problem with Pride is the character of “Bromley” (George MacKay), a closeted young gay man and the group’s photographer, whose inclusion may have been a mistake.
Bromley was invented as an audience surrogate character (someone who represents the viewer), but he tends to fade into the background. More importantly, even if you’re straight, if you know gay people and support gay rights, then you don’t need an audience surrogate character to engage and invest yourself in the drama.
Overall, Pride is an inspiring film about solidarity and the joy of finding kinship in places you wouldn’t expect.
