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Beginners

  • 20102010
  • RR
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
92K
YOUR RATING
  • 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
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance

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
92K
YOUR RATING
  • 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
    • 175User reviews
    • 179Critic 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

    Photos232

    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

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    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 relationship
    • older man younger man relationship
    • looking at oneself in a mirror
    • 2000s
    • timeframe 1950s
    • 255 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, in that many of the events that happen to Hal and Oliver are based on Mike Mills' own father having begun a gay 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 reviews175

    Review
    Top review
    Weird but wonderful
    BEGINNERS is not an easy film. It's very 'talky' and jumps almost randomly between Oliver's boyhood, Hal's coming out and getting sick, and Oliver's on-off affair with zany Anna. Although set in sunny California, there are many under-lit scenes reminiscent of French New Wave cinema or early Woody Allens. Key episodes are, almost perversely, missing. Hal is largely absent from Oliver's mother-dominated boyhood; he later admits to having sex in mens-rooms but we don't see any of that. We see his decline and death but not his wife's. We are not shown any of Oliver's life between boyhood and his father's 'liberation'.

    The performances are nothing less than brilliant. Christopher Plummer, plunging into gay life in his seventies and dying with curmudgeonly dignity, will very likely be nominated for an Oscar and miss out (like Colin Firth going down the gay road in A SINGLE MAN). Ewan McGregor gets perfectly under the skin of Oliver, who finds it easier to love his gay dad than commit to a new girlfriend. And Melanie Laurent's Anna is beguiling and disturbing; the viewer to feel what Oliver feels: you want to love her but something holds you back.

    There is also a scene-stealing Jack Russell, Arthur, the love of Hal's life who becomes the love of Oliver's. A talking dog! – that is to say, writer/director Mike Mills gives Arthur subtitled thoughts every now and again. Kind of weird and kind of wonderful – kind of like the movie.
    helpful•18
    12
    • davidgee
    • Aug 5, 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
      • Lính Mới
    • 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
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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    Troy Kotsur wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar for ‘Coda,’ makes history as first Deaf male champion
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    Final Oscars Predictions: Best Supporting Actor — Troy Kotsur to Be the Second Deaf Acting Winner for ‘Coda’
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    Mar 25Variety Film + TV

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