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DVD Description
From writer/director Mike Mills comes a comedy/drama about how deeply funny and transformative life can be, even at its most serious moments. Beginners imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Golden Globe Award nominee Ewan McGregor). Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (Mélanie Laurent of Inglourious Basterds) only months after his father Hal (Academy Award nominee Christopher Plummer) has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father, who, following the death of his wife of 45 years, came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal’s new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they’d ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavours to love Anna with all the bravery, humour, and hope that his father taught him.
Special Features:
Special Features:
- Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Mike Mills
- A Short Film About Making Beginners
- Beginners Promo
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Life can often be full of surprises. Oliver's (McGregor) life starts to undergo profound changes when his father (Plummer) declares himself gay, then discovers he has terminal cancer. After his father's death he is further surprised when he falls for Anna (Laurent), but dealing with the emotional upheaval of his father's passing causes problems with the new relationship.
This is a nicely observed character study, with a decent touch of humour and a story that goes somewhere. Throughout the story all the characters really develop, especially McGregor who shows how good an actor he really is. Christopher Plummer gives a top notch performance as the newly confessed gay Hal, who then goes on to fully embrace every aspect of his new life, and to extract every last drop of fun from it while he can.
While Plummer and McGregor are top billed, the star of the show has to be Hal's dog, Arthur, who gets some of the best lines in the film...
It would have been so easy to be heavy handed with this subject matter and produce a leaden intense drama, but the light touch from both director and actors makes this a charming and easygoing experience that leaves you refreshed. It might be a light touch, but it certainly isn't lightweight. And while it is funny in places, this is contrasted (as many of the best comedies do) with extreme sadness. It is a textured, thoughtful experience that, while never going to sweep the awards, is a worthwhile film to watch. 4 stars.
This is a nicely observed character study, with a decent touch of humour and a story that goes somewhere. Throughout the story all the characters really develop, especially McGregor who shows how good an actor he really is. Christopher Plummer gives a top notch performance as the newly confessed gay Hal, who then goes on to fully embrace every aspect of his new life, and to extract every last drop of fun from it while he can.
While Plummer and McGregor are top billed, the star of the show has to be Hal's dog, Arthur, who gets some of the best lines in the film...
It would have been so easy to be heavy handed with this subject matter and produce a leaden intense drama, but the light touch from both director and actors makes this a charming and easygoing experience that leaves you refreshed. It might be a light touch, but it certainly isn't lightweight. And while it is funny in places, this is contrasted (as many of the best comedies do) with extreme sadness. It is a textured, thoughtful experience that, while never going to sweep the awards, is a worthwhile film to watch. 4 stars.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In the aftermath of his father's death an artist (Ewan McGregor) meets and falls in love with a young woman (Melanie Laurent). The story proceeds through the first weeks of this relationship with flashbacks on memories of the artist's childhood and of his father's last days. The flashbacks help us understand why McGregor's character is having such a hard time building a relationship with someone who for many people would be a dream woman: McGregor's father, played beautifully by Christopher Plummer, was gay, who only came out after his wife died. McGregor's character frets constantly that all his relationships will become as passionless as his parent's and so, little by little, has sabotaged them.
Its something of a relief to see Ewan McGregor giving a decent performance in a good film again: with the exception of "The Ghost" much of his output over the past few years has been some considerable dross. Here he gives a sympathetic performance of a man who, with a less well judged portrayal, could easily alienate the audience with his low-key self-destructiveness.
This is a slight story but beautifully told and with some profound insights. It is worth watching for Chrisopher Plummer alone, and a lovely cameo from Goran Visnic as Plummer's lover. There are a few decent jokes in the film but overall it is a very melancholic affair. Nevertheless it pulls off the not inconsiderable trick of leaving the viewers feeling hopeful at the end.
Its something of a relief to see Ewan McGregor giving a decent performance in a good film again: with the exception of "The Ghost" much of his output over the past few years has been some considerable dross. Here he gives a sympathetic performance of a man who, with a less well judged portrayal, could easily alienate the audience with his low-key self-destructiveness.
This is a slight story but beautifully told and with some profound insights. It is worth watching for Chrisopher Plummer alone, and a lovely cameo from Goran Visnic as Plummer's lover. There are a few decent jokes in the film but overall it is a very melancholic affair. Nevertheless it pulls off the not inconsiderable trick of leaving the viewers feeling hopeful at the end.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
Nearly perfect from beginning to end, Beginners is simply one of the best films released this year. Ewan McGregor is flawless in his role of the son who's trying to deal with his father's looming death, homosexuality and relationship with his deceased mother. He also finds a love of his own that gives us some of the best on-screen chemistry seen in a while with Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds). Beginners is a complex drama with lots of heartfelt humor and emotion.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beginners
Grossly overated film. Why he got an award I do not know, was it his turn. Unlike product review, the story line is not clear. Poorly written and directed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bobby
Depressing
I bought this film as it was described as a comedy and really amusing. I found it very sad and depressing and several times thought about stopping the film. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Barbara Williams
The dog is the best actor in this awful film
What a disappointing film - one of the worst I've ever seen. Ewan McGregor usually chooses his film roles with care. What was he thinking? Read more
Published 3 months ago by E. Betty
a gem
a marvelous little film , based on the directors father . This is not your typical holywood film , not a rom com and is more melancholy and moving for that [ think the station... Read more
Published 3 months ago by cartoon
Trying Too Hard
I was really disappointed with this film. I wanted it to be brilliant and moving but actually found it a bit . irritating. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Capote71
C'est beau ici......dans le film
Having seen a clip of the film on the Graham Norton Show before becoming interested in it, I knew what to expect - this is not a classic Hollywood love story/romcom, and those... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Louise
Quirky but at times magical and very human love story.
It stars Ewan McGregor as Oliver, the son grieving the loss of his father (Christopher Plummer), who came out as gay aged 75 once his wife had died. Read more
Published 4 months ago by T. BROOKES
where to begin
I must have watched a different film to the people who gave 4 and 5 stars for this film. I found it to be boring, the best performance in it is Christopher Plumber but I found the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by C. J. P
Beautiful fim
This is a beautiful film, unusual in that every single character is appealing. The film does not go for cheap thrills with chaos, appalling behaviour, violence, sex; but radiates... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kate Green
A Good Film
Great........Good..............Very Good!
Christopher Plummer was outstanding and so was Ewan Mcgregor but the dream casting was Melanie Laurent. Read more
Christopher Plummer was outstanding and so was Ewan Mcgregor but the dream casting was Melanie Laurent. Read more
Published 5 months ago by A. D. Gherson
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