Beginners

Ewan McGregor winningly plays Oliver, a sensitive artist dealing with the death of his father, who, following the death of his wife of 45 years, decided to come out of the closet. Oliver's struggle with commitment, and his complicated but loving relationship with his father, are seen through flashbacks, and take the viewer on a journey of the many facets of love. What is love, what does it look and feel like? And is love worth the struggle or not? An excellent cast, led by the estimable Christopher Plummer as Hal, and a moving script based on real-life events in the director's life make this one of the best films of 2011.

-Summer