Beginners

This film, directed and written by Mike Mills, is his second feature film, the first being Thumbsucker in 2007.

The film tells the story of Oliver, played by Ewan McGregor, who is learning to live with his recently widowed father, Hal, played by Christopher Plumber, who has revealed himself to be homosexual after many years of marriage and has now come out and found a boyfriend who is much younger than him. Hal is diagnosed with cancer and oliver becomes his carer. Oliver drifts into a relationship with French Anna (Melanie Laurent) and, just as they drifted together, they drift apart.

McGregor, Plumber and Laurent are excellent.

One leaves the cinema knowing that one has seen a good and interesting film and wondering 'what was all that about?' and 'what really was going on in that film?' Why is Oliver at a loose end and vaguely dissatisfied? Why can't he make an enduring relationship? Is he latently a homosexual like his father?

I urge any reader to see Beginners.