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Beginners

  • 20102010
  • RR
  • 1h 45min
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
90K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,409
865
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent, and Cosmo in Beginners (2010)
A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.
Play trailer2:32
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaRomance

A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer and that he has a young male lover.A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer and that he has a young male lover.A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer and that he has a young male lover.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
90K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,409
865
  • Director
    • Mike Mills
  • Writer
    • Mike Mills
  • Stars
    • Ewan McGregor
    • Christopher Plummer
    • Mélanie Laurent
Top credits
  • Director
    • Mike Mills
  • Writer
    • Mike Mills
  • Stars
    • Ewan McGregor
    • Christopher Plummer
    • Mélanie Laurent
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 169User reviews
    • 175Critic reviews
    • 81Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 36 wins & 30 nominations total

    Videos2

    Beginners: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:32
    Beginners: Trailer #1
    Beginners
    Featurette 3:42
    Beginners

    Photos229

    Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Christopher Plummer in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, and Cosmo in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor, Mélanie Laurent, and Cosmo in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Mélanie Laurent in Beginners (2010)
    Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer in Beginners (2010)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ewan McGregor
    Ewan McGregor
    • Oliveras Oliver
    Christopher Plummer
    Christopher Plummer
    • Halas Hal
    Mélanie Laurent
    Mélanie Laurent
    • Annaas Anna
    Goran Visnjic
    Goran Visnjic
    • Andyas Andy
    Kai Lennox
    Kai Lennox
    • Elliotas Elliot
    Mary Page Keller
    Mary Page Keller
    • Georgiaas Georgia
    Keegan Boos
    Keegan Boos
    • Young Oliveras Young Oliver
    China Shavers
    China Shavers
    • Shaunaas Shauna
    Melissa Tang
    Melissa Tang
    • Lizas Liz
    Amanda Payton
    Amanda Payton
    • Party Personas Party Person
    Luke Diliberto
    • Green Witchas Green Witch
    Lou Taylor Pucci
    Lou Taylor Pucci
    • Magicianas Magician
    Bambadjan Bamba
    Bambadjan Bamba
    • The Sadsas The Sads
    Hana Hwang
    • The Sadsas The Sads
    Samuel T. Ritter
    • The Sadsas The Sads
    Jennifer Lauren
    Jennifer Lauren
    • Record Company Repas Record Company Rep
    Reynaldo Pacheco
    Reynaldo Pacheco
    • Julioas Julio
    Jodi Long
    Jodi Long
    • Dr. Longas Dr. Long
    • Director
      • Mike Mills
    • Writer
      • Mike Mills
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    In 2003, 38-year-old graphic artist Oliver Fields has just lost his father Hal to cancer, 5 years after his mother Georgia's death. Oliver is naturally sullen because of his relationships with his parents growing up (especially his mother, who had a unique view of life) and watching their cordial but somewhat distant marital relationship, but he's more so now as he deals with his personal losses. He embarks on a relationship with French actress Anna, hoping that his re-energized relationship with Hal following Georgia's death, and Hal's new outlook on life, will show him how to act in a loving relationship. After Georgia's death, Hal came out of the closet and began to live with a new joie de vivre and have an open relationship with Andy, a much-younger man. Oliver's relationship with Anna has other obstacles, including her own vagabond lifestyle and Oliver inheriting Arthur, Hal's very needy Jack Russell terrier. —Huggo
    gay relationshipolder man younger man relationshiplooking at oneself in a mirror2000sdeath248 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • This is what love feels like.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language and some sexual content
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is partly autobiographical because many of the events that happened to Hal and Oliver are based on Mike Mills' experiences when his own father came out as gay and began a homosexual relationship after Mike's mother died.
    • Goofs
      On Hal Fields' death certificate, it says "Date of death: 09/17/04". We know from the movie that he's already passed away in 2003.
    • Quotes

      Anna: Why do you leave everyone? Why did you let me go?

      Oliver: Maybe because I... I don't really believe that it's gonna work, and then I make sure that it doesn't work.

    • Connections
      Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.19 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Stardust
      Written by Hoagy Carmichael and by Mitchell Parish

      Performed by Hoagy Carmichael

      Courtesy of Geffen Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews169

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    wonderfully complex
    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.
    helpful•113
    47
    • jrwygant
    • Jun 26, 2011

    FAQ1

    • Is this film based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 9, 2011 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Початківці
    • Filming locations
      • Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Olympus Pictures
      • Parts and Labor
      • Northwood Productions (II)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,200,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,790,894
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $141,340
      • Jun 5, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,311,701
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 45min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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