In one big way, "Pride" isn't exactly a daring film. In the 21st century, doing a movie about homosexuals is very politically correct and very acceptable. Yet, on the other hand, this sort of film, despite the political correctness, is probably NOT destined to be a huge blockbuster--especially since many folks might not say anything against a pro-gay film but they certainly won't pay to go see one. In no way is any of this meant as criticism--just my feelings about the marketability of such a film.

In fact, I did enjoy the movie quite a bit. It's a true story (with a few deliberate changes---such as removing any references to one of the founders being a communist) about an odd alliance in the 1980s-- how a group of gay men and women came to ally themselves with British coal strikers! The thinking by some is that we are BOTH often mistreated by the police--so let's support each other. Naturally the film has a lot to say about understanding and humanity. Plus, the movie has a nice, gentle tone which I enjoyed.

Overall, it's not everybody's cup of tea but if you're willing to give it a try, you'll most likely enjoy this flick.

It's 1984. Mark Ashton comes up with an idea for gays and lesbians to collect money and support striking miners. He starts the group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. Joe 'Bromley' Cooper is 20 year old and still hasn't come out to his parents. The small group raises some money but have difficulties finding miner unions to take the money. Local union leader Dai Donovan (Paddy Considine) is confused but nevertheless grateful for the money. Dai returns to controversy as some oppose the support from the gay community.

Paddy Considine's speech in the gay bar is so powerful. There are lots of powerful moments as well as some hilarious ones. If there is one minor problem, it's that the villain of the piece does need to be played more powerfully. The movie could have used Imelda Staunton in that role to give the group a more formidable obstacle. The greater the obstacle. The greater the drama.

The 1984 Miner's strike caused deep scars in part of the country and there was media manipulation at its best. It is still a shame that both the ITV News and BBC News have not been challenged over their pro government propaganda. For example news footage where Police on horseback attacking protesting miners was edited to show the Miners were provoking the police who then attacked. This was not in the raw footage, the miners only threw things after the police attacked.

Thirty years on Britain has a rump of the mining industry. In terms of health and safety it has had its day when the government in the late 1990s had to pay vast amount in compensation to ex-miners for long term health consequences.

In what was a divisive strike not helped by the Miner's having a militant leader with little cunning. This film based on true events sees the gay and lesbian community from London raising funds for striking miners. As the Miner's union had their bank assets frozen, it was difficult for striking miners to survive. I remember our family giving tins of food as part of a food parcel and we even did not live near a mining community.

The juxtaposition of striking miners with gays & lesbians raises all kinds of issues as it was also an era where the Thatcher government were thinly disguised homophobic and I suspect the world of the mining community were probably not noted for their broad mindedness.

The film deals with the initial reluctance of the mining community to deal with this new found support which gradually lead to mutual acceptance. There are of course side plots of someone reluctant to come out, the flamboyant gay man teaching the villagers how to dance and one of the men from the capital is actually returning to his roots. The actors seem to be enjoying themselves and pitch the performance just right and there is good use of period setting and music to evoke that 1980s mood.

It is a low budget feel good drama which does sometimes fall into predictable schmaltz. The film touched upon the era of AIDS entering the news cycle. In the end the strike led to a bitter defeat for the miners but the union committed the Labour Party to fight for gay rights which it did when it came into power in 1997.