Story
Pride is a comedy based on the true story of a Welsh mining community struggling to survive during the miners’ strike of 1984-1985. The miners are striking against Prime Minister Thatcher’s pit closures. While this is happening, a young gay man named Joe (George MacKay) arrives in London for his first Gay Pride March. Some activists take him under their wings.
One of the activists, Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer), convinces the others that the gay and lesbian community should support the miners. The activists have problems convincing the miners’ union, however, which resists their support. The activists decide on a more personal approach. They head to the village of Onllwyn where, after some initial suspicion, their reception is mostly positive.
The activists and villagers join forces to raise money to support the miners and their families. When the partnership is tested by opposition from one family and a tabloid smear, Mark turns the situation around with a highly successful concert that most of the villagers attend.
The miners eventually return to work, but the following year’s Gay Pride March sees the miners support the LGBT community and walk with them in a show of solidarity.
Themes
Violence
Pride has some violence. For example:
- People throw things and spit at members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community.
- People throw fireworks and large objects including bricks through the window of a bookshop. No-one is seriously injured.
- A man is physically assaulted and beaten in a homophobic attack. He is taken to hospital with injuries to his face.
- The movie contains some footage of police trying to physically control crowds during the miners’ strike of 1984-1985. The police push, shove and restrain people.
Content that may disturb children
Under 8
Children in this age group are likely to be disturbed by the violent scenes in Pride, mentioned above.
From 8-13
Children in this age group might also be disturbed by some of the violent scenes in Pride and by the post-credits scene, which mentions that Mark Ashton died of AIDS-related medical complications at a very young age. The scenes where Joe’s mother and father find out he is gay are very emotional and might be upsetting.
Over 13
Young people in this age group might also be disturbed by the scenes where Joe’s parents find out he is gay and by the idea that Mark, the attractive lead character who is based on a real person, died at such a young age.
Sexual references
Pride has many sexual references. For example:
- There are several conversations about being gay and lesbian and the age of consent for gay men.
- Some of the women characters laugh and play with a large sex toy and a porn magazine.
- A woman talks about sex feeling like a dull duty.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Pride shows some use of substances. For example:
- People drink alcohol socially in pubs, but no characters seem to get drunk.
- Several characters smoke cigarettes, both outdoors and indoors.
- Several characters smoke marijuana.
Nudity and sexual activity
Pride includes some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Many gay and straight couples kiss, and some couples are shown in bed.
- At dance clubs, men and transsexuals wear very little clothing. Some wear sexually provocative and bondage clothing such as leather and latex.
- Some women browse a male porn magazine together. One photograph shows an image of a naked man.
Product placement
None of concern
Coarse language
Pride has some coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Pride celebrates how strong people can be when they’re fighting for something they passionately believe in. It demonstrates the importance of friendship, and shows that you can find friends in the most unlikely places. It shows that there is strength in numbers, and that it can be vital to get involved with causes if you want them to succeed and have a social impact.
Pride also emphasises the need to be open and honest about who you are as a person, and the idea that you should never have to apologise for your personal attributes and preferences.
The movie highlights historical discrimination against minority groups such as LGBT individuals, as well the way that this discrimination was broken down through community action and acceptance. The movie also records the situation in British mining communities during the mine closures of the 1980s.
The movie’s themes, sexual references and coarse language make it more suitable for teenagers aged over 15 years.
In fact, the movie raises valuable issues you could discuss with older teenagers. These issues include:
- the closure of mines and the effects on mining communities
- discrimination and bigotry against people who are different
- the difficulties of young people ‘coming out’ to their families
- the early days of HIV AIDS.