How Long Is “Beautiful Thing”?

Drama about the burgeoning romantic relationship between two teenage boys on a working-class South London housing estate. One of the lads lives with his independent-minded single mother, and the other, a neighbour, is routinely abused by his brother and alcoholic father. But the lives of all are transformed after the boys spend a night together. Adapted from Jonathan Harvey's hit West End play, Upbeat and earthy, this British comedy-drama chronicles the awakening love between two adolescent boys living in one of South London's harshest, poorest neighborhoods, the Thamesmead Estate. Jamie is the teenage son of hardworking bar-owner and devoted mother Sandra. Leaving near-by is Leah, a black girl with an acid wit and aspirations of emulating her hero, Mama Cass. On the other side of Jamie lives his buddy Ste, a teen who is constantly abused by his lazy father and older brother. One night Ste receives a particularly vicious beating and Sandra, seeing him crying and battered, invites him to stay the night. As usual, he sleeps chastely with Jaime. He stays another night as well. Seeing the terrible bruises on Ste's body, Jaime gently rubs them with peppermint oil to stop the pain. From here the boys tenderly embrace and suddenly find themselves filled with confusing feelings of sexual longing and passion. Still the relationship does not go beyond that tender hug. Next morning Ste, confused and afraid of being labeled gay in a homophobic environment, quietly leaves. Leah sees him and taunts him with cruel and slanderous allegations, making matters even worse. Still Ste and Jamie cannot deny their growing love and as the summer progresses, they slowly explore their homosexuality, ending up in a gay bar where their relationship reaches its apex and leads into a warm, feel-good ending.