Pride

As British coal miners begin a long and bitter strike in 1984, unexpected support comes from a motley group of London lesbians and gay men, led by activist Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer); Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton play Welsh villagers who welcome their aid. Director Matthew Warchus and writer Stephen Beresford turn their inspired-by-true-events tale into a celebration of solidarity in the face of adversity—a thoroughly enjoyable piece of power-to-the-people populism, but without the sour righteousness that so often makes lefty agitprop go down like medicine. Uplifting without irony, the movie sends you out of the theater with a spring in your step; it's like Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty mixed with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. A Broadway musical is only a matter of time.