Beautiful Thing (1996)

The critic calls the film one of the most honest and moving gay youth dramas, praising its realistic take on adolescent agony giving way to romance and its complex supporting characters.

The film is a well-acted Cinderella story about two shy gay teenagers falling in love in a working-class London housing project, buoyed by strong performances from the young leads.

This rough-and-ready working-class comedy with a feel-good gay theme features fresh performances from unknowns and an infectiously funny tone, though it lacks cinematic shape.

The review describes it as an urban fairy tale about two teenage neighbours discovering they are gay. It praises the raw-edged performances of the leads and especially highlights Linda Henry's shining turn as the indomitable single mother.

The film is a coming-out fantasy with limited depth for the two leads, but it shines through its quirky and unpredictable peripheral characters like the boys' mothers and neighbors.

The critic praises the film's tender, rough-edged coming-out story and its unusually positive, non-miserabilist take on working-class queer youth in 1990s London. They single out the memorable use of Mamas & the Papas songs and the film's sense of place and hopeful ending as standout elements.

The critic calls it a real winner and an urban fairytale set in Thamesmead. They single out the funny romantic screenplay and Linda Henry's formidable performance as the standout elements that make it a likely gay crossover hit.