Billy Elliot bullies us into caring about the story, despite showing relatively little melodramatic sentiments. The characters, though somewhat stereotyped, are well-balanced, including the presence of the missing dead mother. The rougher the story becomes, the softer it gets, enabling us to accept its ultimate, somewhat corny, ending, and even desire it. The performances are impeccable and the direction is handled with a steady hand. Well-woven into the plot is the socio-political backdrop, driving the story forward like an orchestrated symphony of brutality and conflict, reaching a crescendo parallel to Billy’s own trials. Even if the simple message of this coming of age tale had been told a thousand times before, in the hands of a capable writer, a competent director and a team of talented actors, it is told afresh.