Billy Elliot is one of the most iconic British movies of all time. Set in the 1980s during the Miners' Strike, the film tells the story of a young boy from a working-class background who discovers a love for ballet. The film follows Billy as he tries to overcome the social expectations of the time, all while his brother and father struggle to make ends meet as striking miners in a North-Eastern English town.
While the film is a standalone story, the themes that the movie grapples with have been explored in British cinema before, meaning that there are a wealth of movies to watch if someone wants something similar to Billy Elliot.
Full Monty (1997)
Starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, and Tom Wilkinson, the Full Monty tells the story of a group of friends who, after losing their jobs at the local steelworks, decide to form a male strip tease act to raise money.
The film helped launch both Robert Carlyle and Mark Addy into the mainstream, while also taking the British cinema scene by storm after its release in 1996.
This Is England (2006)
Set in the 1980s, This Is England captures the despair that was present across the young British working class during the 1980s, with the Falklands War and the division across the country resulting in a divided and, in many ways, poorer society.
The film follows a young boy who, after losing his father in the Falklands War, ends up joining a local Skinhead gang. The film follows the gang as a civil war erupts within the group.
Quadrophenia (1979)
Set to the music of the Who, Quadrophenia follows the clashes that erupt between the warring gangs of the Mods and the Rockers in 1970s Britain. The film follows a young man named Jimmy as he finds himself embroiled deeper within the gang conflict.
The movie is a staple piece of British cinema and stars Phil Daniels and Ray Winstone, as well as iconic British rocker (and member of the Police), Sting.
About A Boy (2002)
Based on the book of the same name by Nick Hornby and starring Hugh Grant, About a Boy tells the story of how an aimless, thirty-something man unexpectedly finds himself mentoring a young boy who is struggling to cope with both his home life and his school life.
The film is a touching drama that manages to combine truly heartbreaking scenes with hysterical humor, making for a very true-to-life tale that will resonate with many viewers, regardless of age.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Directed by Gurinda Chadha and starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, Bend it Like Beckham follows a young, British-Indian woman who clashes with her strict parents over her desire to play football.
The film deals with issues of familial expectation, as well as cultural sexism against the backdrop of a romantic comedy centered around the beautiful game.
Blinded By The Light (2019)
Blinded by the Light is the true story of how the music of Bruce Springsteen helped a young, first generation Pakistani-British boy cope with life in Britain in the 1980s, dealing with issues of feeling like an outsider, with overbearing parents, and with social expectations in a working class community.
Directed by Gurinda Chadha and starring Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, and Hayley Atwell, Blinded by the Light manages to combine the tear jerking moments with genuine comedy, resulting in one of the most beautiful films of 2019.
Pride (2014)
Pride may be one of the most underrated LGBT movies of the past decade. Starring George McKay, Paddy Considine, and Bill Nighy, Pride tells the true story of how a group of lesbians and gay men decided to band together to support striking miners in Wales.
The film doesn’t only grapple with the real life working class struggle of the Miners’ Strike, but it also shows how acceptance of homosexuality in working class communities was a struggle.
East Is East (1999)
Set in Salford in the 1970s, East is East is a British dramedy that follows a Pakistani-British family living in the North of England. The film centers around tension that exists between the young members of the family who are torn between the wishes of their parents and the pulls of modern Britain.
The film manages to capture the issues that often face many immigrant families, showing the struggle that both parents and children face when trying to fit into a drastically different culture and society.
Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)
The only non-British movie to appear on this list, the Perks of Being A Wallflower is truly a masterpiece of coming of age cinema. Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen Chbosky, the Perks of Being A Wallflower tells the story of a teenager coming to terms with the transition into adulthood, dealing with issues including social acceptance, romance, and mental health.
Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller, the film brilliantly brings Chbosky’s book to life, bringing his beautiful story to the big screen.
Goal (2005)
Panning across Mexico, the United States, and Northern England, Goal tells the story of Santiago Munez, an undocumented immigrant living in the United States who gets scouted by Newcastle United, one of the biggest and best supported football clubs in the United Kingdom.
The film follows Santiago Munez as he learns to hone his soccer game to fit the English style of play, while also understanding the importance of football to the beautiful city of Newcastle Upon Tyne.