Released in the US 3 June 2011
Beginners (2010) is a quirky family dramedy, starring Ewan McGregor, who plays Oliver Fields, a 38-year-old graphic artist trying to overcome his grief of losing both his parents in five years.I loved everything about this movie: the characters, the themes, the editing, the screenplay, the setting. It was lovely. Oh, and the dog, Arthur, will steal your heart.
This film is based on director/screenplay writer Mike Mills' own experience.
Like Oliver, Mills' dad coming out as gay shortly after his wife dies of cancer.
In the present, Oliver meets Anna, a French actress played by MélanieLaurent. His relationship with her is interrupted by two sets of flashbacks to his childhood.
The first set of flashback focuses on his relationship with his mother, Georgia--played by Mary Page Keller.
More substantive are the second set of flashbacks to the last few years Oliver spends with his father. The good news? Hal is embracing his authentic self, communicating more openly with Oliver, and experiencing a deep love with his boyfriend, Andy (played by Goran Visnic). The bad news? Hal is also having to manage his own losing battle with cancer.
Oliver's father, Hal, is played expertly by Christopher Plummer. After finishing the movie, I learned that Plummer won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his work in this film. At 82, he is the oldest actor to win an acting Oscar. And he was competing against Max von Syder, who was a few months older, and who was considered for the role of Hal.
While the film is largely based on the son's point of view, I thought the scenes with Hal were significant and insightful. I am giddy to see an older character written and portrayed as a complex, dynamic, and vibrant person all the way through his life span.
Related:
Movies about Parents Active in the Dying Process
Novels about Older Men Facing Death