The Rectangular View

Beautiful Thing is a 1996 British film based on the play of the same name. It was originally intended for television but was released in theaters because it was so well received.

Beautiful Thing takes place in a working class neighborhood in South East London, so it has a bit of a gritty look and feel. The characters are subtly complex and true to life. It’s the type of story that needs actors who understand the craft, and the entire cast is excellent. Without good acting, the film would fall apart.

It’s about Jaimie (Glen Berry) and Ste (Scott Neal), two boys in their late teens living next door to one another in a low rent high rise. Ste lives with his abusive father and older brother, and Jaimie with his mother, Sandra (Linda Henry), and her boyfriend, Tony (Ben Daniels). Tony is quite a bit younger than Sandra and spends much of the film trying to get Jaimie to like him.

Sandra takes a liking to Ste and is a bit of a mother figure to him. When Ste doesn’t want to go home because of the abuse, Sandra lets him spend the night, sleeping in Jaimie’s room. While Sandra has a big heart, she often gets into petty fights and will do just about anything to advance her career. Although she’s very close to Jaimie, she’s unaware that he gets picked on at school.

Although Ste and Jaimie deal with bullies at school, Ste lets it bother him while Jaimie keeps it to himself. Ste is a bit of loner, and because of that his friendship with Jaimie comes off more as friendly than friends.

It’s the scenes when Ste spends the night with Jaimie that we see their relationship evolve. It makes sense because it’s the only time the two are alone and can be honest with each other, and the progression from friends to lovers feels natural.

Beautiful Thing does a good job showing the interactions between the neighbors, especially between Sandra and Leah (Tameka Empson). Leah ‘s a sharp-tongued girl who was expelled from school and doesn’t know what to do with herself. Sandra and Leah are always at odds, and their interactions are some of the most entertaining.

Since Leah, Ste, and Jaimie are in their late teens, they often run into each other outside of the apartment complex. It doesn’t take long for Leah to figure out that something more than friendship may be going on between them. And Leah holds onto this information until she can use it to get what she wants.

Beautiful Thing is an excellent film that deserves to be seen. The script by Jonathan Harvey is tight, the acting is perfect, and the overall look is solid. The jokes are so outrageous that you’ll find yourself pausing a few times to make sure you don’t miss anything.