In Praise of “Billy Elliot”: Part I

A master lesson in film craft

The opening of scene of the film “Billy Elliot”: Billy jumping on his bed. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

When I first saw the film Billy Elliot (2000) many years ago, I found myself seamlessly engaged in the story: a working-class boy in an English coal-mining town struggles to follow an unlikely dream — becoming a ballet dancer. From the opening scene of Billy jumping on his bed to its climactic ending, I thought the film was flawless. Watching it again…