Beginners (2010) User Reviews

The History of Sadness

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 9 June 2011]

Greetings again from the darkness. This is a terrific little art-house character study with comedic elements, fine acting and superb writing. Mike Mills is responsible and he was also the writer and director on another excellent little movie from about 5 years ago called Thumbsucker. When I say little movie, I mean intimate and poignant with a nominal budget.

Three time periods are presented in overlapping form to an effective end. One period shows us Oliver (Ewan McGregor) as a young kid interacting with his mother (Mary Page Keller). Another period shows Oliver's father Hal (Christopher Plummer) confessing to him that he is gay (this is a few months after the mother/wife dies). The third period has Oliver trying to forge a relationship with Anna (Melanie Laurent) whom he met at a costume party.

While that may sound like a simple set-up, I assure you that the complications created by these characters is both realistic and head-spinning. It turns out Hal knew he was gay prior to marrying Oliver's mother, but claims she promised to "fix" him. Once he proclaims his gayness, Hal jumps in with both feet to all causes gay. He thoroughly enjoys himself and even meets a new, younger lover. And just when he admits to joy, inoperable cancer is discovered in Hal's lungs. This begins the second major secret of his life.

The scenes from Oliver's childhood provide crucial evidence on why he is so solemn and afraid of relationships. He suffers just as his mother did. Things begin to shift for him when, dressed as Freud, his party sofa becomes occupied by Anna - a beautiful, alluring French actress who, it turns out, is just as messed up emotionally as is Oliver. They make the perfect threesome ... including Arthur, Hal's Jack Terrier, who speaking through subtitles, lets us know when things are OK or not. Arthur takes a great deal of the heaviness away.

There are many elements of this film that I really like. The houses of both Hal and Oliver are full of as much personality as either of the characters. The look and pace of the film is meticulous and steady given the material. It seems to be naturally lighted from windows and interior sconces. Nothing even comes close to looking like a Hollywood set.

Ewan McGregor plays his part very close to the vest and conveys the pain and uncertainty that Oliver has learned over the years. His defenses are up! Melanie Laurent was my favorite part of Inglourious Basterds (she was the cinema owner on a mission) and here she offers both hopefulness and melancholy. To me, the heart of the film is Christopher Plummer's performance. He portrays an elderly gay man with grace and then takes it to another level in his "sick" scenes. He is a wise man who may or may not understand how selfish he was, but is intent on showing Oliver that it's never to late to be a "beginner" in love.

Great performances

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 November 2013]

Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) is depressed after the death of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer). He meets a fascinating lovely woman Anna (Mélanie Laurent) and falls head over heels. He recalls how after the death of his mother Georgia (Mary Page Keller), his father reveals that he was gay all along. And he wants to do something about it before it's too late.

Writer/director Mike Mills has brought a lovely sweet little movie. There are subtle little jokes and a dog with his own subtitles. The romance is beautiful, Ewan McGregor delivers depressed without being depressing. I guess the 'talking' dog helped out. Christopher Plummer doesn't give a gay stereotype performance. He's gay and you can see the joy in his acting. All the performances are first rate.

The beauty is in the performance

[estebangonzalez10 · 8/10 · 14 December 2011]

¨Well, let's say that since you were little, you always dreamed of getting a lion. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait, and you wait but the lion doesn't come. And along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe.¨

Beginners is one of those movies that stands out due to the strong performance from the cast. The actors tell the story, and sometimes a look can say more than actual words. Ewan McGregor has this look in his eyes that constantly reminds us in this film that his character is a very sad and lonesome guy. There is no need for him to tell us, we just know it by the way he acts. From the opening scene you will also notice this isn't your typical Hollywood romantic movie; it's different and actually rings true to life. Beginners is a romantic drama with a strong and special chemistry between the two lead roles played by McGregor and Melanie Laurent (from Inglorious Basterds fame). In order for a romantic movie to work it's a must for the two lead characters to have a strong chemistry between them, and these two have it from the start, from the very first moment they meet. Ironically when they first meet she can't talk, but they say so much to each other with their eyes. That is true in life sometimes. From that moment I knew this film was going to be good, and it was. Their relationship is the center of the story although the movie is non-linear as we get to see McGregor's relationship with his now dead mother and father. Those interactions with them shaped him and made him the man he is today. He witnessed how his parents respected one another, but lacked real love for each other. He doesn't want to make the same mistake.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is the narrator of the movie in which he is telling the story of his life. It's 2003 and his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer) has recently passed away. We get several flashbacks dealing with their relationship together. His mother, Georgia (Mary Page Keller), who he was closer with had died five years ago. After this, Oliver grew closer to his father who opened up to him and let him know he has been gay all his life. Hal really begins living after he comes out of the closet and has a relationship with a much younger man named Andy (Goran Visnjic). Oliver begins to see a version of his father that he never knew. At the same time he realizes his father has terminal cancer and therefore has to take care of him, but in a way they form a stronger bond with each other. Oliver is now on his own, working as a graphic artist who keeps to himself most of the time and spends time with his father's dog, Arthur, but one day his co-workers invite him to a party and insist on him joining them. There Oliver meets a young French actress named Anna (Melanie Laurent) and despite the fact that she can't speak at first due to laryngitis they spend the night together and the relationship grows from there. The two seem perfect for each other, neither of them is in a relationship, but Oliver is afraid they won't last. The movie jumps back and forth from Oliver's relationship with his father and his present relationship with Anna. We get to see how some things of the past have affected him and shaped him in the present.

Beginners is not a movie for everyone; some might find it slow-paced, but it is a very smart film with a good script written by Mike Mills himself (this is his first film since the 2005 movie Thumbsucker) and it has some great performances. I already mentioned how strong McGregor and Laurent were together, but who really has been getting all the praise is Christopher Plummer for his supporting role. He plays an openly gay seventy five year old man who is enjoying life after trying to repress his feelings for so many years. Just when his life begins to look good he is diagnosed with cancer and has to deal with this as well without telling his young lover that he's dying. He gives a terrific performance and will probably get nominated for the Oscars. I however found Laurent's performance to be the true heart of the film. She is just so natural on screen and was so believable; she was just amazing. McGregor is a terrific actor as well and we've grown used to seeing him give strong performances. Beginners is a movie for film lovers, they won't be disappointed. I recently saw New Year's Eve and that movie had so many romantic stories going on that none of them really rang true, but this one is really authentic and worth seeing. The characters are really complex and you can tell it just by looking into their eyes. Great film.

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A Powerfully Understated Piece Of Filmmaking

[CalRhys · 2 July 2014]

For a film with such a haunting and depressing scenario, 'Beginners' is a surprisingly powerful and perceptive piece of cinema. When I first read the synopsis, I was a bit doubtful about the concept and was uncertain as to whether it was worth a watch, however after learning that the film was partially autobiographical and based on the life of writer-director Mike Mills, I decided to give it a try, convinced by the inspiration of Mills' first-person experiences. 'Beginners' blends comedy and romance against a dramatic backdrop in order to create a charming and character-driven story. In my opinion, it is Christopher Plummer's Oscar-winning performance that really sells the picture accompanied by some assuring performances from Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent. 'Beginners' is a powerfully understated piece of independent filmmaking that maintains it's emotional resonance from start to finish.

Not Too Late

[MyFilmHabit · 7/10 · 15 May 2011]

I got the chance to attend a sneak peek of director, Mike Mills', latest film last night at one of the Reel Affirmations film festival's monthly screenings. I like Mills' films. They've got a moody, tortured aesthetic, and this one is no different. The story is primarily about the relationship between a man, Oliver (Ewan McGregor), and his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer). When Hal dies, Oliver is left to contemplate his life, their relationship, and all the poor choices each of them had made up until this point. We see the world through Oliver's eyes, and so the whole film is suffused with an overall tone of deep sadness. He can't seem to make any of his romantic relationships work, but then he's never really had any good role models. You see, after the death of his mother four years prior, Hal finally came out to his son as gay—at the ripe age of seventy-five. It's a very touching, and lightly sweet moment. Oliver is happy that his father hasn't given up on life, and is finally pursuing true love, but he just can't forget the years of isolation and loneliness his mother went through. Commence the sad wallowing.

Of course, all this changes when Oliver meets an alluring, winsome French girl (Melanie Laurent). Anna is an actress, and she's just about as bad at relationships as Oliver. They don't know much about each other, but they're both beautiful, damaged souls, so they get on like a house on fire. And somehow, Oliver is thinking less and less about his parents. Those ladies can be mighty distracting! But, not distracting enough to totally conceal either of these attractive kids' inherent personality flaws. But they're pretty fetching while they're working out their demons!

This is a wonderful film. It really captures the deep emotions people feel for each other, and even lets the audience feel some of them for themselves. There were definitely moments during the screening that had people surreptitiously wiping tears from the corners of their eyes. But, it's also sexy and funny too. We get to enjoy Oliver and Anna's uncertain flirtation. And, we also get to savor Hal's belated (but not too late!) blossoming. He's as giddy and nervous as a school-girl at her first dance, but he ultimately takes to his new life like a fish to water, even as late to the game as he is. This movie is a real crowd pleaser, and it's one that just about everyone will enjoy. The pacing is deliberate and solemn, but the story sucks you in enough that you barely notice. You can even bring a date to this one. It's not one to miss.

A Beautiful Film

[adri_wholivesathome · 10/10 · 13 September 2010]

I was able to see the world premiere of Beginners at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, and it completely took me by surprise. It was a bit of a last minute pick, and it has been my favourite film so far, and probably one of my favourite films in general. To be simple, I will just say that this film is about life and the emotions and experiences that we all go through within it. Christopher Plummer plays a 75 year old man who after the death of his wife is finally able to explore his homosexuality, and we see him come to life through this experience. It is not only about him, but mainly about his son played by Ewan McGregor, whose relationships with both his mother and father shape him as a person. These relationships and his own romantic relationships make up the core of his character, and it is through love, loss and discovery that the three main characters display an authentic view of humanity. It is an original film, and requires a certain audience, but I recommend that everyone should see this true gem.

Are There Cheerier People Somewhere to Hang Out With?

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 11 March 2012]

Ewan McGregor and the lovely Melanie Laurent play two morose people who have no faith in the existence of love or relationships that can actually work and yet nevertheless decide to give it a try with each other.

The film has some modest charms to recommend it, but it's ultimately too gloomy for its own good. The characters played by McGregor and Laurent are so vaguely mopey that I found myself not caring all that much whether or not they found happiness in each other -- or even happiness at all. I just wanted to find happier people to hang out with.

Christopher Plummer received much acclaim, and an Oscar by the time I got around to writing this comment, as McGregor's dad, who comes out of the closet and then dies of cancer, not helping much to dispel his son's gloom.

Grade: B-

A deeply original and profound piece.

[Rockwell_Cronenberg · 10/10 · 17 October 2011]

Mike Mills' 2005 debut Thumbsucker is a film whose quirky charm was completely lost on me, but where that film was drenched in artificiality, he somehow turned that charm into something grounded and serene with his sophomore feature Beginners. This is a movie that honestly transcends words, for me. The kind of impact it had on me will never be able to be described, but it's one that touched me at my soul and deeply moved me in a profound way. The film is built around this message from Mills' personal life that you have the capacity to assess your situation at any point in life and make a change for the better. However, in the most un-Hollywood sense, Mills never beats you over the head with the message or panders to it's audience; it just exists in it's own world and you can embrace it or not, but the film doesn't exist solely for that reason. It may not particularly exist for any reason, it just exists and for me, that was all it needed to do to hit me right in the heart.

In taking on a subject matter as emotionally strong as this (a father coming out of the closet at a late age and then being diagnosed with terminal cancer), Mills was open to a plethora of moments for overbearing melodrama to bring the audience to tears, but he never embraces this in a traditional way at all. He treats the subject with this delicate, grounded approach that feels fully original and honestly quite daring in it's subtlety, leading to an experience much more effective than if he had gone the traditional route. His background in graphic design leads to some wonderfully charming editing techniques and Woody Allen circa Annie Hall uniqueness in the story structure, but it never overpowers the center that is ultimately a charming, emotional and entirely natural character study. The study of a young man finally seeing who his father is, contrasted with his first experience in true love. All three of the central characters charmed me off my feet, but Mills creates genuine, flawed and sometimes annoying human beings out of all of them.

Once again, as with everything else in the film, he transcends the general approach and just creates these full, real human beings. Oliver and Anna instantly became one of my favorite couples in the history of cinema, with the incomparable chemistry between Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent, and Hal reminded me so much of my grandfather it really brought me to tears several times. Mills plays everything in an understated way, but by doing this he allows the film to really get under your skin and sink in, a much more effective technique than just hitting you on the surface over and over again. The performances by all three are truly out of this world.

I find McGregor to be a great talent who rarely gets the opportunity to demonstrate that, but this character allows him to give his finest performance to date. He is so grounded and honest in his portrayal, bringing comedy both light and dark along with genuine emotion that sunk into me deeply over and over again. I related to his faults and his gifts and McGregor really made me feel like I understood this guy through and through. Laurent is a delight and makes you fall in love with her almost instantly; again I have to mention the overwhelming chemistry that the two of these had. Before we even got a chance to fully comprehend their relationship, I was in tears by the simple act of them holding hands with one another. Mills and Laurent take a character that could have been conventional and tossed aside for the father-son dynamic and make a fully-fleshed person out of her, complete with her own demons and turmoil and I fell in love with her all the way.

Then comes Christopher Plummer as Oliver's father, who is everything you could want from this guy; charming, chaotic, filled with life and regret. He's absolutely enchanting and devastating simultaneously, a guy that makes you want to live your life to fullest potential. In fact, enchanting is a word that is perfect for the film as a whole. Beyond the authenticity and the emotional impact that it had on me (which is not small by any notion), the film truly seems to dance at times and it's in those moments that I felt something...beautiful and serene beyond anything that words could hope to encapsulate. This movie transcended everything for me.

Let's begin, for Beginner's sake. I will just state out, that this movie was just alright.

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 11 March 2015]

This is about a man overcoming many difficult challenges. When the title, suggested. He's beginning to learn the true meaning of life. While, trailers makes it seem like the main character is dealing with his father's struggle with cancer, while having a new relationship with a woman. It's not really doesn't started out like that. Beginners tells the story of Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor), a man reflecting on the life and death of his recent demise father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), while trying to forge a new life with a woman, Anna, (Mélanie Laurent). The movie is story about love. Love for your parents, love for your partner, and even love for your pets, but most of all, it's the story about love of life. Beginners manage to somewhat lightheartedly quirky, with its hilariously deadpan dialogue and clever narrative style, while also absolutely heartfelt, unafraid to delve into the aching emotional territories of lost. The movie deals with the issue of depression, in a smart, non-depressing way. I love the way, the movie tells the story. Beginners plays with all sorts of cinematic conventions from a silent-movie costume first meeting between Oliver and Anna, to Oliver talking to his dog through subtitles, and the way, they use drawings and photos to further the plot. Most of it was spot-on, but some moments were a bit befuddling in its art house like structure. The movie is also told, through interconnected flashbacks, while showing present day, scenarios. It can be a bit confusing at times as it's hard to figure out what time period, the movie is jumping back and forth, from. The smart humor is mostly a hit for me. While, it's not really that funny; just the way, it was delivered, was crafty, enough to get a smile, going. I love how the movie deals with motion of romance, but I do kinda criticize on how Anna and Oliver met. Honestly, what made Anna want to talk to Oliver? Is it because he seem depress? She seem like a stock character, a manic pixie dream. I didn't mind, Melanie Laurent's performance, but I didn't felt like the movie try as much as they should, in allowing us, the viewers to know her character, better. She was mostly there, just as eye candy and for Oliver to spit out dialogue. Honestly, for the most part, I was kinda hoping, she was just part of Oliver's mind, rather than a real character. It would make a lot more sense, since Oliver is still, dealing with the death of his father and his recent outing. Ewan McGregor is a great lead and I love his performance, but it felt more like a stock character. He was restrained yet emotional, but he felt like he was just there to be a narrator. He was really outperform by Christopher Plummer, and even the dog, playing Arthur. That was indeed, one cute dog! By far, the best thing in the movie has to be the Christopher Plummer's stoic character. He was indeed the life of the party. It's so unlike, his previous serious roles, where he known for harden rock-like mental resilience older figures. Its show that old dogs can indeed, learn new tricks. It also shows that romance isn't only for the straight young people. It shows that Individuals' sexual activity doesn't remained constant until about age 70. It could continue to keep going. I think this is one of the few movies that show homosexuals as real-life people. Hollywood has always wanted to show that they're not homophobic, at all, but they do overcompensate themselves by showing gay people in very infallible light. They never show them, making any mistakes. You clearly see being gay, isn't all flowers and sunshine, here. You see cheating in relationship and how even in LGBT's community, people can be a bit shallow. Writer/director Mike Mill, based this movie on his own father's story about coming out in age 75, although it's clearly highly fictionalized. The movie still does work. It's seem very realistic in portraying older gay men. It was so good at it, that Christopher Plummer received a numerous accolades, including the 2011 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance. While, the movie doesn't show anything in graphic detail, the language is clearly in adult driven. I think most people must go into this, knowing that. The movie has bit nudity, but nothing, too alarming. The movie has this French New Wave feel to it. Very Bohemian type of a film as if trying to seem non-American as possible, while, being set in odd looking Los Angeles. Everybody looks and acts French. It does seem a bit liberal postmodernism by design. One is having the movie set in 2003, where French and U.S relationship weren't the best of friends due to the opening of the Iraq War. The movie has tons of hundreds of hidden messages, about resistance against the government, but it comes off, more like shallow childish, cause the characters overacted due to people disagreeing with them over mediocre issues. Characters stealing skates, cause they wouldn't allow dogs in the building is a bit up overdramatic. They come off as rich and snobby. It's like they never heard of, people being allergic of dogs, before. I really couldn't stand them, at times. It's not like 2003 U.S was that bad to the point, that characters needed to graffiti buildings to make a statement. Come on! I can understand, if they were living poorly in an extreme fascism state, but it's clear that these people are well-off, living in the capitalism system as a cartoonist and actress. I wonder how they felt if a self-absorbed 30+ year old man defacing Oliver's walls at his work place. Very narcissism. Overall: While, the movie is pretty pointless, and predictable. It was indeed, a semi fun ride. I don't regard, watching it. I recommended it.

wonderfully complex

[jrwygant · 10/10 · 26 June 2011]

Beginners is a great film that will not satisfy a few viewers, as evidenced by other comments here. First, here's what it will not do: it will not feed you a linear story with a single, simple plot. The beauty of this film is in its complexity, which faithfully reflects the dynamics of real life. There are flashbacks. There is highly cinematic use of material that is intended to suggest mood, rather than deliver it with dead dialog. Yes, the dog gets a few subtitles, highly credible for anyone who has ever owned a dog. There is even a brief moment in which solid colors flash on the screen, and we occasionally visit the protagonist's revealing sketches. There is a message in all of this that some will not appreciate. Several stories are magically woven together: the son's difficulty in maintaining a relationship, the girlfriend's own hesitation to commit to one place and one person, the mother's endurance of a marriage that worked on only one level, the father's adjustment to his new gay life, and his boyfriend's worries that he is not accepted because he is gay. Whew! That's a lot to cram into one story, but it works remarkably well and we see in the end that all the characters were what the title said, Beginners.

Beginners is a delicate and charming, at times poetic, here and there quite funny speculation on life, love, and the hard matter of human relationships

[JayCinema · 7/10 · 19 June 2011]

Meet Hal (Christopher Plummer), his son Oliver (Ewan McGregor), and Oliver's new girlfriend Anna (Melanie Laurent), they are all beginners. In what? In matters of Love and Life.

Beginners, Mike Mills' second feature-length film, is a movie about the importance of the choices one makes to fill life with joy, rather than sadness. It tells three stories in three different time lines, interwoven with each other. The red thread that links each story is Oliver, a 38-year old artist. Through his eyes and voice (and the use of some clever graphics by the director), we go back and forth in time: we are shown glimpses of Oliver's Mom and her unhappy marriage with Hal, a museum director and a closeted gay in a society that considers homosexuality an illness in desperate need of a cure; after his wife's death, 75-year old Hal decides to begin a new life, we see him finally embracing his homosexuality freely and unabashedly; the third story is about Oliver himself: few months after his father's death, still mourning for his loss, he meets Anna, a French actress, at a costume party. It is a particular moment in Oliver's life, he's trying to make sense of his own past, his own present, and decide which shape to give to his own future.

At the centre of the movie is the idea that is never too late to come out of the proverbial closet and try (more or less successfully) to be happy in Life. But the film is not just about being gay (or not), that is just one thread in the movie. The closet here is extended figuratively to all those people who for reasons often unknown, perhaps fear of failure or fear of being hurt, live lives of emotional dullness and never commit to anyone.

One could easily describe Beginners as a light-hearted feel-good-movie with some kind of happy ending attached to it, but that would be a far too narrow definition, somehow limiting the film's scope and quality. This isn't really a comedy. On the other hand, this is not a tragedy. Throughout its length Beginners remains always conscious of what it is not. Mills and his cast are wise enough to never attempt to turn the movie in some sort of philosophical treatise about the film's subject matter, so they never make the mistake to take themselves too seriously, at the same time, keeping a good balance between laughter and sadness, and staying at arm length from the pitfalls and clichés of the gay-genre, the movie never undermines its core cinematic value. Notwithstanding the film's general release coinciding with the week preceding the Gay-Pride celebrations, it is not among the aims of Beginners to attempt to stir any kind of new social debate on gay-rights, integration and, further on, the death of creativity in capitalist-societies. True, the plot touches upon these many important themes, but it does it with a consistent and uplifting lightness of touch. Overall, I consider Mike Mill's Beginners a delicate and charming, at times poetic, here and there quite funny speculation on life, love, and the hard matter of human relationships. It deals often with tragic matters, but thanks to its tone, acting, graphic choices and direction, not to mention a solid script, while asking some interesting questions the film ends up putting a smile on our faces, albeit at times that smile has the bittersweet taste that is proper of life.

The acting never looks adrift. The overall atmosphere is light and melancholic; the mood in the scenes about Oliver and Anna reminded me of the best bits in Lost in Translation. McGregor and Laurent are well cast and show good chemistry. Mary Page Keller as Georgia is excellent. Christopher Plummer is at his best, not far from the heights of Ian McKellan's Jimmy Whale in Gods and Monster and Peter O'Toole's Maurice in Venus.

Browsing the movie's website, I read the story is inspired by the director's own family history. Mills' father, himself a museum director, followed a path similar to Hal's. Perhaps the close understanding of the subject lends to Mill's writing and direction even more assurance. In the wrong hands this movie could have easily been excessively light or excessively sad and boring, instead Mike Mill's skills and an excellent ensemble of well cast actors make Beginners a truly enjoyable experience, a movie definitely worth watching.

We all live in some sort of closet. Some of us never get out of it and, like in that famous video by The Cure, end up down a cliff. Others, like Hal, Oliver and Anna are brave enough to break its doors and set themselves free. It is never too late to try.

Beginners is perhaps far from being an instant classic, nonetheless, in this Summer full of brainless blockbusters, this is definitely a movie worth watching.

Humanity is the thing

[littlemartinarocena · 8/10 · 25 December 2011]

That's what I took with me and stayed with me. The humanity in Ewan MacGregor's eyes. Sadness and joy unmistakable in its deepness and its pungent recognition. Christopher Plummer is superb as the 75 year old who confesses to his son, he's been gay all his life and after the death of his wife, a sublime Mary Page Keller, he allows that side of his nature to take off and experiment, for the first time in his life, in an honest loving relationship with another man, the odd and lovely Goran Visnjic. As if this wasn't enough, a dog. An extraordinary creature who carries as much humanity as its human counterparts. Melanie Laurent adds an extra pinch of sexual sympathy. "Beginners" will play beautifully on the small screen so I predict a long life for this unexpected treat.

Fresh and warm

[Fotodude · 7/10 · 11 July 2011]

Beginners tells the story of a father and his son, and how both of them manage to cope with their lives. The father, played by Christopher Plummer, knows he's gay since the age of 13, but only comes out after his wife's death, much to his son's surprise. Then he tries to enjoy life as much as possible (meaning as much as he hasn't been able to when married), especially considering he is soon diagnosed with terminal cancer. Meanwhile his son, played by Ewan McGregor, begins to understand his father better, and after his death, uses what he's learned to begin a new life of his own, most importantly in the form of a relationship with a French actress, played by Mélanie Laurent. This last part takes place in 2003.

The funny thing is that the first part of the storyline is directly based on the director's personal experience, which explains how much he cares for these characters. And it shows. The film is warm and touching, without falling into cheap sentimentality, but conscious of the hopeful and sincere message it has to tell by the end. It does so quietly, progressively, only revealing it at the very end. Thus the conversations and situations are about many different things, apparently not leading anywhere when in fact they are. Furthermore, apart from the two time periods indicated in the first paragraph, the film also goes back to the son's childhood and his relationship with his mother, and also features three or four short slideshows of historical pictures, accompanied by the son's voice-over, not to mention occasional, very brief flashbacks within the 2003 narrative. So all those different time periods are interconnected in the film, not chronologically (only the 2003 part unfolds that way), and still manage to mirror one another. And the wonderful thing is that this complex time structure never becomes confusing and doesn't hurt the film's fluidity one bit.

The result is a highly creative film, as far as the screenplay goes, and such originality feels like a true breath of fresh air. In that sense, some highlights are the scene when McGregor's and Laurent's characters first meet, attending a costume party, the former dressed as Freud; the subtitles showing the viewer what the son's cute dog is thinking; or the religious essay that the father writes. Another consequence is a very dynamic editing work, providing the story with the necessary harmony and at the same time keeping the viewer from falling into a comfortable passive attitude, as the story in question never moves in the most expected direction, but rather diverges and converges into apparently independent scenes which, like I mentioned above, only come together little by little. In other words, the film is a thought-provoking one; with much more to it than what it seems at first sight.

So overall this is a film with a heartfelt story to share with us, technically well made, with some risky directorial choices that for the most part succeed in their purpose, and with some noticeable performances to round it up, especially Christopher Plummer's affecting turn, undoubtedly deserving of Oscar recognition in the Best Supporting Actor category.

****

Couldn't wait for 'Beginners' to end...

[shtk1979 · 2/10 · 7 July 2011]

Self-indulgent piece of neo-modernist crap, people.

Buoyed by the relatively positive ratings and reviews for this film starring the amiable Ewan McGregor and the ever dashing Christopher Plummer, I was led to believe that I was going to watch a quirky, life-affirming tale about the notion of carpe diem in the lives of two proverbially lost people, Oliver and Anna. I was so WRONG. Do not set foot in the theater unless you relish feeling as though you've been completed bamboozled by the trailers for this film.

The premise seems interesting enough: three months after the death of his gay and ailing father, Oliver struggles to retain a hopeful and positive outlook on the potential for real human connection in Los Angeles. In flashbacks, we are supposed to see the tender and open relationship that Oliver and his father, Hal, strive to cultivate during the last few years of his life, interspersed with brief flashbacks of Oliver's parents attempting to make the best of their marriage of convenience. Shortly after the death of his father, Oliver attempts to start a meaningful relationship with Anna, a beautiful yet commitment-phobic French actress (is there any other kind?). The movie is mostly a kaleidescope of early-Eisenhower era Pop imagery pertaining to sexual identity and gender roles that set the premise behind the disenchanted marriage of Oliver's parents, who stayed together for decades out of social obligation and acceptance rather than attraction.

So, the old man is dying, the son is trying, and the gays are crying... but what is this movie really about, I ask you? This is just another disappointing attempt to create a socially conscious indie-flick set in Los Angeles, but without the dreary and discomforting presence of any part of town east of the Hollywood Hills. It was basically '500 Days of Summer' sans the effortless charm of Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt or the killer soundtrack. Oliver and Anna's passivity and unblinking acquiescence to everything from Hal's protracted death from cancer to cathartic jaunts around the city to their near-undetectable breakup halfway through the film leaves the viewer completely cold -- we're not even really sure what happened. Did they have a fight? If so, what was it about? Was I eating popcorn when it happened? Sufficed to say, this movie is really light on the plot, heavy on the symbolic imagery. And I resent paying twelve bucks to experience what basically feels like a Rorschach test. I left the theater feeling completely cheated out of two hours and not a little frustrated with the lack of flow in the film. Read-throughs of the script must have been a breeze, since there were so many breathy protracted pauses and stilted narrative readings by McGregor to make up for the lack of actual plot. The French actress-girlfriend, played by Melanie Laurent, is so simultaneously chic and weird that you have a hard time taking your eyes off her, except to note how unbelievably contrived their first meeting and pursuant relationship is. They meet at a costume party, with him dressed like Freud and she looking like a sexually-confused schoolboy. Riiiiiight... could have been cute, I guess, if the actors had even a spark of chemistry between them. The French actress comes off as slightly bipolar; not sure if that was part of the script. Nothing about this movie seemed very deep or genuine, not the tears nor the laughter, what little of it there was.

Beware this film and all the hype portraying it as a feel-good drama. Let's call it what it was -- a derivative and highly uncomfortable attempt at expressing love between beautiful people on the big-screen. And - this is just a peeve of mine - next time, let's not be so eager to cast an Englishman, a Scot, and a Frenchwoman in a movie set in a city populated by Hispanics, Asians, and African-Americans. I got the distinct feeling that Ewan McGregor was terrified to speak for fear that his Scottish accent would take over the scene.

I was thoroughly bored

[Gordon-11 · 25 December 2011]

This film is about a young man whose father came out as being gay and was found to have terminal cancer.

The plot summary of "Beginners" makes the film sound like a touching, introspective and soul searching journey of Oliver, who deals with his father's big changes. These are what "Beginners" could have been like. It could have explored the father's difficult and conflicted life, and Oliver's path to adjustment to such drastic changes. It could have been so touching and engaging.

However, "Beginners" is in reality a jumbled up mess. It concentrates on Oliver's love life with a French woman he met at a party, with occasional flashbacks o his childhood and his father's battle with cancer. The story flips from one time point to another incoherently. The story is no logical focus. The subplot about Oliver's love life is so disjointed that I don't even know what message it wants to portray. Moreover, Oliver's father is the most interesting character in the film, and yet the film is not about him.

I was thoroughly bored by "Beginners". The only redeeming feature of the film is the confession of Oliver's father about his marriage to his wife. The rest of the film is an incoherent bore.

Disappointing Romantic Comedy

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 21 June 2013]

In 2003, Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) is a thirty-eight year-old art designer that draws sketches in an advertisement agency. He is a cold guy that was raised with respectful but loveless parents and lost his mother Georgia (Mary Page Keller) five years ago. He has just lost his father Hal Fields (Christopher Plummer) after a long treatment against cancer. Hal had come out of the closet and confessed to his son that he was gay after the death of his mother and soon he finds a boyfriend, Andy (Goran Visnjic).

When Oliver meets the French Anna (Mélanie Laurent) and they have a relationship. However, Oliver is a quitter and he lets Anna go despite his crush on her.

"Beginners" is a disappointing romantic comedy, with a pointless love story since the major concern seems to be to raise a rainbow flag. The charming and gorgeous Mélanie Laurent makes this film worthy with another great performance. However, her character is poorly developed and it is never clear whether she is a French actress or whatever. The dog Arthur is another attraction of this flick.

Ewan McGregor seems to be completely lost in the role of Oliver and this is certainly his worst performance ever. Hollywood seems to like actresses that perform whore and actors that perform gay characters; there is no other explanation for the hype and undeserved Oscar to Christopher Plummer. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Toda Forma de Amor" ("All the Shape of Love")

On your mark, get set, go! Here is my take on "Beginners"

[meeza · 8/10 · 31 December 2011]

I really do not think it was beginners' luck that made Director Mike Mills' indie film "Beginners" a critical success. This quirky little film about an aging widower who announces to his son that he is gay and has terminal cancer is not your typical "terms of endearment-esque" formulaic weepy. Mills direction includes experimental artistic elements into the narrative which many times are very engaging but a few times are a bit baffling; nevertheless, kudos to Mills for thinking outside the "beginners" box. "Beginners" stars Ewan McGregor as Oliver Fields, an artist who shies away from romantic relationships until he begins to romance the free-spirit French actress Anna. Oliver's dad is Hal, the aforementioned geriatric homosexual who finds a new flamboyant lease on life in his twilight days even with the terminal situation he has been handed with. Christopher Plummer's performance as Hal has been lauded by many critics and it's the frontrunner for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. And why not? It is about time the legendary Mr. Plummer gets a little of that Oscar liquid. Whatever that means! Sorry, something is wrong with my cerebral pipes! Anyways, Plummer's multi-faceted performance was sure a delight to watch. Mills' idiosyncratic screenplay was of people speaking in eccentric tongues, which one could say was not too authentic on how people really talk to each other, but it was still a strong script mainly because it is based on his real life experience with his father. I was not too fond of the overwhelming non-linear aspects of the narrative, but it did not take away too much of the emotional strength of the picture. McGregor continues to be one the most "under the radar" actors working today, because he continues to deliver with every character he portrays as he did with his fine work as Oliver. French actress Melanie Laurent, who was so good in "Inglourious Basterds", proves that performance was no beginners luck by delivering another charismatic thespian effort with her portrayal of the lovely Anna. I will end my review of "Beginners" by stating that this movie is mostly a celebration of the unforgettable moments of life, no matter how old or new, and that it's not such a bad thing to begin again. **** Good

New Beginnings

[gbacquet · 7/10 · 10 January 2012]

This beautiful and melancholic film was a wonderful movie-going experience and I can't recommend it highly enough.

It deals with various things such as love, death, fear and, ultimately, new beginnings: for the father, a closeted gay coming out at age 75; for his boyfriend, several years his junior; for the son, dealing with death, confusion and a new relationship, and for everyone else involved, all of whom will have to get through the grief and the losses and find the inner strength to start anew. The question is: Will they?

Although melancholic in its mood, the film is filled with bittersweet humor, underlying optimism and the hope for something better. It is, however, not for everyone. Some will find it boring, some will find it slow. But that's just because the filmmaker takes his time to draw us in and experience what the characters are going through. Life doesn't happen in a flash…it happens slowly, moment by moment, as does the film.

The acting is superb, very understated: smiles, looks and gestures say many times more than the dialogue itself, which is very minimalistic at best.

You can read about the plot and the story everywhere online; I wanted to write more about what you're likely to experience if you see it. Don't watch it if you're feeling sad or depressed or if you're not really into slow-building movies. Though it's been labeled a comedy-drama, there are not laugh-out-loud moments here and the comedic elements are mostly present in the form of irony. This is not a joyful film. It's a very introspective and contemplative character study, ultimately optimistic in its outlook, very enjoyable if you are in the right state of mind and worth watching if only for seeing Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor (and the Jack Russell dog, "Arthur") give the performances of a lifetime.

What a wonderful film!

[AzizalSaqr · 10/10 · 27 January 2011]

I had the pleasure of attending two showings of "Beginners" at The Toronto Film Festival, and cannot wait for the June 3rd theatrical opening so I can see it again. The official release of the film's trailer today reminded me of many of the things that made this such a special film, while leaving plenty of surprises for those who will be seeing it for the first time.

All of the actors cast are perfectly suited to their characters, but, I must admit, that it was the pairing of Christopher Plummer (Hal) with Goran Visnjic (Andy) that made the film for me. That Mike Mills would cast against standard type with these two wonderful actors is something that shows just why he is so skilled at what he does.

The storyline of the film settles around Ewan McGregor's character, "Oliver", as he comes to terms with the news that his father is gay, and that he is also battling Cancer, while he also tries to find himself. I personally would have loved to have seen more of "Hal's" life, to me, those are some of the most poignant scenes in the entire film. Hopefully though, by using "Oliver's" in this way, the film will reach a much broader audience, and people who might have overlooked it, will now see it.

Within the weaving of these two threads, we are also treated to a third, and that is the one which deals with "Hal's" marriage to "Georgia", and how their behavior toward each other and with "Oliver" as a child have affected him into adulthood. All three explore relationships as well as sharing within them the common components of love and loss. It is Mike Mills' talent as a writer and his wonderful cast that pulls everything in "Beginners" together so perfectly, and I highly recommend you see it.

It's never too late to change

[Buddy-51 · 7/10 · 2 February 2013]

You're never too old to change. That's the message of "Beginners," a muted indie drama about two men - a father and a son - who alter the course of their lives in unexpected and dramatic ways.

For Hal (Christopher Plummer), that change is particularly stunning, since he has lived the first seven decades of his life as a closeted gay man, husband to a woman (Mary Page Keller) who believed she could "change" him and father to a son who bewilderingly stood witness to what he thought was nothing more than a loveless marriage. Only after his wife's death is Hal able to reveal the truth about himself to the world and to his son, and, in his 70s, he makes his long-delayed entrance into the "gay scene," even going so far as to procure a young immigrant boyfriend (Goran Visnjic) for himself. Unfortunately for Hal, the experience turns out to be a short-lived one, for, as the movie opens, we discover that Hal has recently died of cancer, and Oliver, who narrates the story, is still trying to cope with his perplexity and grief.

The real focus of the movie is on Oliver (Ewan McGregor) , who, like many men of his generation, finds it impossible to form lasting ties with the women he meets. Does this fear of commitment arise from having observed the unfulfilling relationship, the wasted lives of his own parents? Possibly. But Oliver may be running out of excuses, for he now has in his father a new role model to follow, that of a man who, after a lifetime of dishonesty and compromise, chose to grab at his one chance of happiness, to shake off the dust of an ossified existence and make his life count for something at the end. The good news for Oliver is that he has the opportunity to make that same resolution at a much earlier stage in his life, a possibility that becomes all the clearer when he falls for an alluring French actress (Melanie Laurent) who would like to start a serious romance with this troubled fellow.

Writer/director Mike Mills, who based the story on his own father, weaves a complex series of flashbacks to relate his story, never violating the hushed, respectful tone of the piece with big dramatic confrontations or corny melodramatics. - though he isn't averse to finding the humorous and playful side of life either, even in its darkest moments. For the most part, though, he simply shows us brief moments in these characters' lives, captured for posterity by the eye of the camera, poignant in the sense of sadness, loss, redemption, fulfillment and hope they convey.

Plummer and McGregor are, of course, flawless in their performances, but special note should be taken of Cosmo ("Hotel for Dogs"), the most scene-stealing pooch since Uggie in "The Artist."

A deep sadness underlying the humour and a hope underneath the sadness

[GirishGowda · 8/10 · 15 September 2013]

It's 2003. Thirty-eight year old graphic artist Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) has just lost his father Hal Fields (Christopher Plummer) to cancer, after Oliver's mother Georgia Fields passed away five years earlier. Oliver grew up watching his parents' cordial but somewhat distant relationship with each other, but is more so now because of his personal family loss. Oliver embarks on a relationship with Anna (Melanie Laurent), a French actress. Oliver is hoping that his re-energized relationship with Hal following his mother, Georgia's (Mary Page Keller) death and Hal's new outlook on life during that time will show Oliver how to act in a loving relationship. After Georgia's death, Hal came out of the closet and began to live with a new found joy that did not exist before, which included an open relationship with a much younger man named Andy. Oliver's relationship with Anna has other obstacles, including Anna's own vagabond lifestyle and Oliver needing to take care of who was originally Hal's very needy Jack Russell terrier, Arthur.

Beginners is about how two adult men find love and is told through three different timelines in Oliver's life simultaneously. A dog is a main part of the proceedings, but this isn't a comedy. There are no villains, yet there's a deep sadness underlying the humor and a hope underneath the sadness. Evan McGregor's Oliver is quite engaging. The man is broken down and sadness seeps in every bone of his body after the loss of his father. Melanie Laurent's Anna plays this graceful, lovely, amazing, flawed human being who's someone you want to fall in love with and I did fall for her over and over again through the course of the movie. But frankly, her character was greatly underdeveloped. One of the highlights of the movie was the clever usage of vocieovers and historic events and society at different points of time through pictures which enhanced the narrative.

There was so much chemistry and pure unadulterated love between Anna and Oliver that I felt like I was a peeping tom and almost felt bad about it. Powerful doesn't even begin to explain it. How wonderful would it be if the world were to be as inviting to gay people as in the movie. Christopher Plummer brings a dignified, yet funny perspective with his take as a gay man. But, he definitely did not deserve that Oscar. Perhaps, the most underrated in this movie was Mary Page Keller who is every bit as good as Plummer in the role of Oliver's mother. Hers is also a tragic tale. She was married to a gay man her whole life on her own accord even after knowing his preferences. The backstory added new perspective for understanding Oliver. One of the best things about Beginners is how sincerely heartfelt it is and how much the characters are realistic, rational, warm, loving and loyal.

8/10

A pleasant experience

[proud_luddite · 7/10 · 20 February 2021]

In Los Angeles in 2003, a man in his thirties (Ewan McGregor) connects with a woman (Melanie Laurent) despite both of them having relationship phobias. The film is in flashbacks and also tells the story of the man's father (Christopher Plummer) who came out of the closet in his seventies to live as a gay man.

The plotlines are simple and subtle. Yet, director/writer Mike Mills shows great compassion for all of his characters and their situations which include terminal illness and the denial of it, difficult parental issues, mourning, needy dogs, incomplete marriages where one spouse is gay in the 1950s, and gay history.

Every character is flawed and comes across as quite loveable nonetheless. It is also a pleasure that the romance between the main players shows genuine warmth and vulnerability rather than the usual pornography. With beautiful piano music accompanying this film, it was overall a sweet pleasure. - dbamateurcritic

A late life discovery. A love story that transforms and it's memorable even though different it's comparable.

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 21 November 2011]

"Beginners" is a film that may not be everyone's cup of tea, still it's an emotional drama that is touching a memorable film it proves love is complex and unexpected yet it's memorable and often a late discovery and no matter how different it's the same. Set in 2003 in California a graphic designer Oliver(Ewan McGregor)starts to reflect on life, love, and everything in general after the loss of his father Hal(the wonderful Christopher Plummer). And interesting enough as after decades of marriage Oliver's father finally came out of the closet before his death to terminal cancer and told the world that he was gay. After 45 years of being married at age 75 Hal comes out of the closet, I guess it shows in life it's never to late to discover or show your own true feelings. Really humans can be so transformed.

Director Mike Mills showcases the story of this picture mostly thru flashback as Oliver has memories of the times with his father Hal, and in an interesting subplot Oliver begins a love and intimate relationship with a free spirited French actress Anna(Melanie Laurent), and it's here that Oliver learns a lot about life and love as he tries to connect the times with memories of his father's secret love life. Even though different this promotes Oliver to open himself up to the hope of true love with Anna. Like any love story it shows that life and love is complex with ups and downs. And the film is blended with humor and sex appeal. Most of all it proves that being one's self and true discovery is never to late, and it's only right to give love a chance be true to yourself for happiness. "Beginners" is one film that's emotional and touching it can start your heart feeling some tender love and gentle comfort.

A happy-heartbreaking story. Truly Precious.

[christine-dreyer89 · 7/10 · 29 April 2012]

'Love' is such a played-out theme in the movie industry, everyone trying to reinvent it in some way, but in the end, sadly, it ends up being either a heartbreaking story or a happy-hearted one.

'Beginners' being a story of acceptance, friendship and love, left me feeling weirdly indifferent, which I must admit is a new experience for me.

This is a story about a 30-something man, Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) who learns, soon after his Mother's (Mary Page Keller) death, that his Father (Christopher Plummer) is gay and has terminal cancer. Don't let the trailer fool you, it's witty, but has some extraordinary-indie-movie depth. The 'cancer' theme (as seen in 50/50 and The Bucket List) hits home for many. Sad as it is, Arthur (Cosmo), Hal's (Christopher Plummer) Jack Russell terrier left me in stitches a few times, and who couldn't love that face?

I absolutely fell in love with the way the movie was put together, (big up to Mike Mills - Director and Writer) delving into Oliver's graphic designer mind, showing us how he saw and experienced everything – purple sweater and all.

Winning the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role as Hal, I kept on hoping the movie would have more of Christopher Plummer in it, even though I realize that would defeat the purpose of him having won the supporting award. He does play a superb gay old man! Seeing him in love and giggly (with Goran Visjnic, 'Andy') just made this film even more of a gem than I'd be able to make it out to be. And Christopher Plummer dancing – PRICELESS!

Don't get me wrong, Ewan McGregor didn't do a bad job at acting out the main character. I do believe he had a similar demeanor to his character in 'Star Wars' though. Laugh it off, but he was the same type of man, kind of cold, but oh-so-amusing. Obi-Wan Kenobi, being a Jedi, generally doesn't show his emotions, but Oliver didn't because he grew up in a family which rarely showed him the warmth which every child should be brought up to know. This emotional detachment being a reason for his romantic relationships (before Anna) not working out - lucky for us, seeing as one falls in love with Anna (Mélanie Laurent) just as fast as he did.

In the end this is a happy-heartbreaking story. Truly precious.

"I don't want to be gay in theory; I want to do something about it." - Christopher Plummer as 'Hal'.

You know a movie's in trouble when the dog gets the best lines...

[bmennen · 4/10 · 18 June 2011]

I don't know about you, but I am tired of being a trailer fool; i.e., one who expects a movie to be a reflection of the trailer. Having seen the trailer for "Beginners" a few times at the art cinema near us, I expected a poignant, funny, fast-paced slice-of-life movie about the advertised situation of a widower dad coming out of the closet at age 75. Not that strange an occurrence these days...I would think.

Well, poignant it was, with the gay dad played by Christopher Plummer stealing almost every scene. He is a master of his art. I have seen most everything Ewan MacGregor has been in and always enjoy his work, and he was fine, but since his part was written in such a joyless manner, he did not matter.

The "romance" and the scenes of he and the Melanie Laurent character were nothing less than excruciating, whereas the scenes involving the gay life were terrific; while there was no love noted between the heteros, there was plenty for the gays. A special mention to Goran Visnjic as Andy, Plummer's gay lover: he was brilliant in this nuanced role.

Well, you might say, you gave this film a "4" yet you sound like you enjoyed it--what gives? Two things: the Ewan-Melanie interludes were long and extremely boring, and the trailer set me up for a comedy and I do not like being misled.