James Canellos ‘17 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer Faye Marsay, George Mackay, Joseph Gilgun, Paddy Considine and Ben Schnetzer in Pride. Photo Credit: Nicola Dove/CBS Films.
Having a mutual enemy always seems to be the recipe for a beautiful friendship. In Pride, the enemy is Margaret Thatcher and the British government, who bring together gay activists and desperate coal miners in 1984 England. After hearing about the hardships of a mining town on strike, Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) begins a group called “Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners” (LGSM). However, despite the gays and the miners common hate towards the government many still have more resentment aimed at each other.
Director Matthew Warchus creates such a vibrant, yet plausible reality in this true story as buckets upon buckets of money are filled. Like the movement itself, a great ensemble is assembled from two polar opposite generations. Most notably are those who from the miner town: the gracious Paddy Considine, the timid Bill Nighy, and the always charming Imelda Staunton. Each adds such a beautiful layer of poignancy and hospitality that they immediately steal the show from the more stand out LGSM group. Except of course for Dominic West’s Jonathan, who displays his confidence almost as well as he shows off his dance moves (almost). Dominic West in Pride. Photo Credit: Nicola Dove/CBS Films.
The coal miners begin to have second thoughts about their intolerance and vise versa for the gay activists, but what’s interesting is that both sides think their prejudice is justified by “what they assume” the other side is capable of. What really feels like a letdown is that if Warchus could have emphasized more of the paranoid nature to both sides (including the government), perhaps that could take this film to the next level.
During a beautiful scene of unity set to the song “The People Marching Sing” that could have gotten ugly very fast, the director shows that he’s capable of displaying scenes of intense respect. Pride still relies too heavily on scenes that feel recycled from previous LGBT centered films. A lot of subplots in the film begin to fit a puzzle of previously done moments of gay characters accepting themselves and teaching others about equality. What really gets me is that in many scenes it feels like Warchus might stray away from the “been there, done that” territory, but he only ever disappoints. Particularly in scenes with Joe (George MacKay), where Warchus teases that something fresh will blossom out of his hiding in the closet character, but nothing ever emerges. Freddie Fox, Ben Schnetzer, Faye Marsay, Joseph Gilgun, Paddy Considine and George MacKay in Pride. Photo Credit: Nicola Dove/CBS Films.
Still, it’s hard to argue that Pride is not worth seeing. Despite its faults you will leave the theater with a grin on your face that isn’t common for most films. It’s the kind of smile you get when you know despite the generational gaps that we all capable of improving our nations futures. This is only Warchus’ second directing effort but he seems capable of improving the state of films that strive to inspire. Overall Grade: B+
