Pride

The Gist: Britain, 1984. Miners are on strike nationwide to protest government cutdowns. A small group of London gay and lesbian activists, the most unlikely of sympathizers, will come down on their side to bring attention to their plight and help them in their fight.

Another tale based on a true story I had never heard before, even though it apparently got the ball rolling on gay rights in the UK and allowed the community to make important strides forward.

Watching this movie I realized how true the maxim, Even the smallest person can change the course of the future, really is. Here was a regular guy, Mark Ashton, who decided he had to do something about an injustice he couldn't abide any longer, and in so doing changed both history and society.

What he was able to do with the simple goal of helping a group of people he knew nothing about (and was ostracized and vilified by), and what his actions resulted in, really made me mourn his premature death. Just imagine what else he could have accomplished as the premier leader of the gay movement in the UK. Sort of a similar to losing Harvey Milk in the US.

The Bottom Line: Pride tells a very important story with lots of comedic accents and dramatic turns. The acting is phenomenal and the writing won't let you look away.

Grade: 8