Beautiful Thing
A gentle south London first love, scored entirely by Mama Cass.
Reviewed by The Jibbi Editors
The rare 90s gay film where nobody is punished for it.
- 1996
- 92 min
- 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
- 7.6 on IMDb
- #nostalgic
- #romance
- #coming-of-age
Our take
Two teenage boys on a Thamesmead housing estate fall for each other while everything around them — bad flats, worse parents, the neighbour who only plays Mama Cass records — carries on regardless. It is small, it is council-estate specific, and it refuses the tragedy the decade usually demanded.
What makes it hold up is the mother. Sandra could have been an obstacle and is instead the best-written adult in any film on this list. The final scene, dancing in the courtyard where everyone can see, is the quiet ancestor of every teen coming-out story that came after.
Where to watch Beautiful Thing
Stream
BFI Player
BFI Player Amazon Channel
BFI Player Apple TV Channel
Rent
Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Buy
- Apple TV Store
- Amazon Video
Streaming availability data provided by JustWatch. Availability changes often and is checked daily — confirm on the provider before paying for anything.
Scores
Ours
- Jibbi Score — 4 out of 5 rainbows. The rare 90s gay film where nobody is punished for it.
Everyone else’s
- Rotten Tomatoes — 92%, via OMDb.
- IMDb — 7.6 out of 10 from 27,681 votes, via OMDb.
- TMDB — 7.3 out of 10 from 364 votes, refreshed daily.
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The plot, officially
During a long, hot summer on the Thamesmead Estate in Southeast London, three teenagers edge towards adulthood.
Synopsis and poster via TMDB.