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Beginners
2010 American film by Mike Mills From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Beginners is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills. Inspired by Mills’ own life, the film draws from the story of his father coming out as gay at the age of 75, five years before his death. The film stars Ewan McGregor as Oliver, a graphic designer navigating a new romantic relationship in the wake of his father Hal’s late-life revelation and illness. Christopher Plummer portrays Hal, with Mélanie Laurent and Goran Višnjić in supporting roles.
The narrative unfolds across two interwoven timelines: Oliver's growing connection with Anna (Laurent), an actress grappling with her own emotional distance, and flashbacks to his evolving bond with Hal during the final years of his life. As Oliver reconciles with his father's truth and legacy, he confronts his own fears about love, commitment, and identity.
Beginners premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in the United States on June 3, 2011. Produced on a budget of approximately $3.2 million, the film grossed over $14 million worldwide. It received critical acclaim for its introspective narrative, direction, and performances. Plummer’s portrayal earned numerous accolades, including the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor.
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Plot
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In Los Angeles in 2003, graphic designer Oliver Fields reflects on the recent death of his father, Hal, from lung cancer. Interspersed throughout the film are flashbacks to Hal’s final years and Oliver’s childhood, as well as scenes from Oliver’s developing relationship with Anna Wallace, a French actress.
Six months after the death of his wife, Georgia, Hal came out as gay at the age of 75 and embraced his new identity, becoming active in the local LGBTQ+ community and beginning a relationship with a younger man, Andy. Oliver and Hal grew closer during this period, particularly as Oliver supported his father through cancer treatment. Oliver recalls Hal’s optimistic demeanor during his illness, despite moments of denial.
Hal and Georgia had been married for 44 years. They met in high school, and Georgia believed she could help Hal overcome his homosexuality. Although they remained together until her death, their relationship was emotionally distant, and Oliver remembers his mother as quietly unfulfilled and his father as largely absent. This upbringing influenced Oliver’s reluctance to commit to romantic relationships.
After Hal’s death, Oliver attends a costume party where he meets Anna, who is temporarily unable to speak due to laryngitis. They bond through written notes and spend the night together, beginning a tentative relationship. When Anna briefly travels to New York for work, Oliver is inspired by his father’s openness and decides to pursue a more meaningful connection.
Upon her return, Anna moves in with Oliver, but her emotional reservations and reluctance to unpack her belongings reflect her unease with commitment. Tensions grow as both struggle with vulnerability. Oliver ends the arrangement, and Anna decides to move out. Although she tells him she is returning to New York, Oliver later discovers she remained in Los Angeles.
Eventually, the two reconnect. While their future remains uncertain, they express a willingness to face it together, suggesting a renewed openness and emotional growth.
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Cast
- Ewan McGregor as Oliver Fields
- Keegan Boos as Young Oliver
- Christopher Plummer as Hal Fields, Oliver's father
- Mélanie Laurent as Anna Wallace, a French actress with whom Oliver begins a relationship
- Goran Višnjić as Andy, Hal's much-younger lover
- Kai Lennox as Elliot, Oliver's friend and co-worker
- Mary Page Keller as Georgia Fields, Oliver's mother
- China Shavers as Shauna, Oliver's friend and co-worker
- Reynaldo Pacheco as Juan,[a] Hal's hospice nurse
- Jennifer Hasty as Hal's Secretary
- Jose Yenque as Robert
- Cosmo as Arthur, Hal's (and later Oliver's) dog
Lou Taylor Pucci, the star of Mills’ previous film Thumbsucker (2005), makes a cameo in the sequence at the costume party, appearing briefly as the man dressed as a magician.
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Production
Beginners is partially autobiographical, drawing on writer-director Mike Mills’ own experiences. Following the death of his mother, Mills’ father came out as gay at the age of 75, a development that inspired the film’s narrative.[3] Principal photography was conducted using the Red One digital camera system, contributing to the film's naturalistic visual style.[4]
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Box office
Upon its limited release in the United States on June 3, 2011, Beginners earned $216,000 from just five theaters, averaging $43,200 per theater. The film gradually expanded to wider release, and by the end of its North American run, it had grossed $5.8 million. Internationally, Beginners performed modestly, earning $9.3 million from various territories, bringing its worldwide total to $15.1 million against a production budget of approximately $3.2 million.[5]
Critical reception
Beginners received critical acclaim upon release. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86% based on 159 reviews, with an average score of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads, "Wearing its twee heart on its sleeve, Beginners explores the depths of modern, multi-generational romance with wit and depth."[6] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 36 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim."[7]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it "a hopeful fable with deep optimism and a cheerful style that kids itself."[8] Peter Debruge of Variety described it as "deeply poignant and disarmingly personal."[9] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly praised the film’s lyrical style and performances, writing, "The movie darts, dreams, and sometimes seems to dance. The great Christopher Plummer, meanwhile, creates an inspiring, fully rounded man in late bloom, and Ewan McGregor responds with a performance to match."[3] Diego Costa of Slant Magazine commended its narrative approach, stating, "One of the most distinct pleasures of Beginners is the way it puts together fragments of someone's life... with humility and without vying for some complete whole."[3] Calvin Wilson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called it "a lovably quirky comedy drama with a rhythm all its own."[3]
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Accolades
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Notes
References
External links
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