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.

Director:

Mike Mills

Writer:

Mike Mills

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent

Won 1 Oscar. Another 35 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewan McGregor	...	Oliver
Christopher Plummer	...	Hal
Mélanie Laurent	...	Anna
Goran Visnjic	...	Andy
Kai Lennox	...	Elliot
Mary Page Keller	...	Georgia
Keegan Boos	...	Young Oliver
China Shavers	...	Shauna
Melissa Tang	...	Liz
Amanda Payton	...	Party Person
Luke Diliberto	...	Green Witch
Lou Taylor Pucci	...	Magician
Bambadjan Bamba	...	The Sads
Hana Hwang	...	The Sads
Samuel T. Ritter	...	The Sads

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

gay relationship | older man younger man relationship | looking at oneself in a mirror | death | cancer | 

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Taglines:

This is what love feels like.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ewan McGregor's distant cousin was Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Christopher Plummer's daughter in The Sound of Music (1965).

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Goofs

When Oliver Fields is next to Hal Fields in his hospital bed, what appears to be Hal's glasses can be seen, but when Andy enters the room the glasses disappear.

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Quotes

Oliver: Why are you telling them you're turning the corner?
Hal: Well, uh...
Oliver: You, you have stage four cancer.
Hal: It's not as bad as it sounds.
Oliver: Pop - there is no stage five.
Hal: [chuckles] That's not what it means.
Oliver: Well, then what does it mean?
Hal: It just means that it's been through three other stages.

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Connections

Featured in The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2012)

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Soundtracks

Buddy Bertrand's Blues No. 1
Written by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (as Joseph Ferdinand Morton)
Performed by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (as Jelly Roll Morton)
Courtesy of the Alan Lomax Library of Congress Recordings/New Rounder, LLC.

User Reviews

Great performances

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

9 June 2011 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Beginners

Filming Locations:

Berkeley Avenue at McCollum Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$141,340, 5 June 2011

Gross USA:

$5,790,894

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,311,701

Company Credits

Production Co:

Olympus Pictures, Parts and Labor, Northwood Productions (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1