30 Days of Queer Cinema - Day 17 | Pride

When a gay and lesbian group sought to support striking coal miners in Thatcher-era UK, they were met with suspicion, fear, derision, and ultimately acceptance by the striking miners, forming a coalition that proved to be mutually beneficial. Pride is the kind of baldly manipulative real life issue drama that seeks to tug heartstrings often by merit of its subject alone, often patting itself on the back for its themes of unity and tolerance. But it's undeniably charming and it finally won me over in the end with its sense of working class solidarity and story of unlikely allies. It's certainly hard to resist a cast that includes the likes of Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy, and Paddy Considine. Even if the film often overplays its hand, its final emotional punch is a strong one.