Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Certificate: 12A

Starring: Max Harwood, Lauren Patel, Sarah Lancashire, Richard E Grant

Release date: 2021

3 out of 5

3

A fun film adaptation of the stage musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie captures the positivity, humour and sparkle that made the theatre show such a likeable hit.

Jamie New (newcomer Harwood, an instant star) doesn’t really fit in with the other kids at his school – his dream is to be a successful drag queen. His mum (Lancashire) understands, buying him red high heels for his 16th birthday, and he also has support from his best friend Pritti (Patel) and confidante Hugo (Grant), a former drag queen who becomes Jamie’s mentor.

There are obstacles in Jamie’s way to becoming a drag queen and wearing a dress to his school prom, of course, including school bully Dean and a horrendously unsympathetic teacher (Sharon Horgan), but Jamie’s story is delivered in a light, frothy – and sometimes pop video-like – way that never strays from the comforting path to a sweet happy ending.

There are sad moments, of course, especially a heart-rending performance from Grant as his Hugo remembers those hedonistic 1980s days when he was known as Loco Chanelle (the song ‘This Was Me’ sung by Grant and Holly Johnson is a tearjerker and one of the movie’s best moments), but overall this is a celebration of being who you are and being accepted for it that remains an uplifting message for LGBTQ kids and anyone who has been made to feel an outsider for being themselves.

Is Everybody’s Talking About Jamie suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...

This is a 12 certificate in the UK as it does feature bullying, homophobic references and some discriminatory abuse that is upsetting. However, the message of the film is about being who you are and is against discrimination.

There is some strong language and sex references.

 

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