When I came out of the cinema I ran down the street, as fast as I could, just for no reason other than the sheer rush of doing so…It is THAT kind of film, leaves you feeling high and emotional, set in Durham during the Miners Strike in 1985, an eleven year old striking miner's son with a dead mum and a glass jaw sent to boxing lessons and defecting to the ballet class that shares the same community hall, his struggles to gain the acceptance of the entrenched working class mining community that later unites behind him…. One little kid versus the world, or so it seems… At times this had surreal eccentric visuals, almost reminiscent of Jeunet & Caro, at times blunt humour, at times I cried my eyes out, but because of the beauty shining through from the bleak surroundings. A superb directorial debut from theatre director Stephen Daldry, gritty and beautiful, a real rootsy British film. A big up to all of the cast, to mention one would be to ignore another… they were all brilliant. Along with 'O Brother Where Art Thou' this goes straight on to the MUST SEE list!