It had been quite some time since I last watched this movie until its recent screening at the Glasgow Youth Film Festival. The selection by today’s young people—a choice as surprising a venue for the story as the North of England—really says something about how powerfully it challenged and disrupted the typical portrayals of British working-class life in the early 1980s. “Billy,” who is portrayed with great charm by Jamie Bell, attends boxing class weekly but quickly becomes more interested in the nearby dancing lessons led by the straightforward "Mrs. Wilkinson," played by Julie Walters, who eventually allows him to participate. He’s worried that his dad (Gary Lewis) and his troubled older brother "Tony" (Jamie Draven) will discover his secret so everything has to be kept hidden. The film gains momentum when his striking miner father learns from the boxing coach that “Billy” is spending his 50p elsewhere, leading to a tense scene. The characters are well-developed and change believably—not in an overly simple way. There are hardships and painful experiences, particularly for a father struggling with his own feelings, financial strain, a rebellious son, and a younger one who wants to dance and spends time with his best friend "Michael" (a noteworthy performance by Stuart Wells), who is visibly gay. Walters, Bell, and Lewis have great chemistry together, which allows the story to unfold naturally and with energy; as far as uplifting films go, this one is hard to top. It's a truly inspirational film that still connects today just as much as it did when it was first released—although perhaps the music could use an update! This is a wonderful movie, and there’s even a brief appearance by Adam Cooper at the very end.

Source on TMDB