History Film / BillyElliot

* AngryMobSong: Played With in "Solidarity" by the cops who ironically thank the miners, but played straight with the miners voicing their frustrations about being looked down upon workers.

* MelancholyMusicalNumber: "Grandma's Song" is a haunting lament about the life she was denied of by society's expectations and [[AwfulWeddedLife a very unhappy]] [[DomesticAbuse and abusive marriage]], and how she wishes it had been different yet recognizes the futility in rewritting the past.

* CounterpointDuet / DistantDuet: In "Solidarity", the ballet class scenes are intercut with scenes from the strike, with girls in tutus dancing in between cops swinging billy cubs and nightsticks. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools It works well.]] They use different musical melodies.

* RatedMForManly: Billy's father and brother were both fanatical and staunch believers in this and viewed him as a BlackSheep for not carrying those same beliefs. They later eased up and let him BeYourself.

* ShowStopper: "Angry Dance" ends the first act in the DarkestHour of the story.

* LowerClassLout: Both Billy's father and brother are blue-collar workers who are also each TheMeanBrit.
* TheMeanBrit: Both Billy's father and brother.

* CampGay: Billy's best friend Michael has a feminine personality, is into crossdressing and harbours feelings for Billy romantically. While Billy is unable to reciprocate, he supports his best friend regardless.

* DeadpanSnarker: Mrs. Wilkinson. Roughly 80% of her dialogue consists in biting remarks and comebacks. Played UpToEleven in the Musical adaptation.

* {{Meganekko}}: Tracy Anderson, if the live cinema version is to be believed.

* AbusiveParents: Jackie Elliot to his children at some points. Zig-Zagged in that he clearly loves them and wants the best for them, but is visibly out of his depth, and distressed by the Union troubles.

%%* BigBrotherBully: Tony towards Billy at first.

%%* BlackSheep: Billy.
%%* BoxingLesson: Kinda.

%%* DysfunctionalFamily: But they pull it together.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Both Billy's father and brother. They're hot-headed and a bit abrasive towards Billy seemingly to use him as an outlet for venting their stress and passing blame for their family's union-related financial issues from themselves. When they learn that Billy wants to pursue ballet, they're a bit shocked at first, but eventually decide to help him pursue his passion. By the end of the musical, the two express their pride in Billy.

* MentorsNewHope: Sandra has a true passion for teaching dance and the art itself, but is clearly frustrated by a ruined home life and ho-hum students until Billy inspires her enough to work to get him into a dance academy.

%%* VehicleVanish: Debbie manages to pull one off.

%%* WholesomeCrossdresser: Michael.

* CampStraight: Billy, arguably. He's not camp at all but he's into ballet, in which a very disproportionately high number of gay men are involved.

* FantasyForbiddingFather: Billy's father initially towards Billy's dancing pursuits.

* MistakenForGay: Billy probably isn't gay, but his love of ballet makes his dad fear he is.

* ProtagonistTitle

* SoProudOfYou: At the end of the film, Jackie is moved by a 25-year old Billy's performance, impressed with how far he's come.

* CampGay: Billy's best friend Michael has a feminine personality, is into crossdressing and harbours feelings for Billy romantically. While Billy doesn't reciprocate, he supports his best friend regardless.

Described by some as "a ComingOutStory without the gay", this film was a major example of the GenderNormativeParentPlot, where young boys in a coming-of-age story learn an important lesson -- BeYourself… even if it does involve leotards.

* BigBrotherBully: Tony towards Billy at first.

* BlackSheep: Billy.
* BoxingLesson: Kinda.
* CampGay: Billy's best friend Michael.

* DysfunctionalFamily: But they pull it together.

* VehicleVanish: Debbie manages to pull one off.

* WholesomeCrossdresser: Michael.

!!Film and musical are the TropeNamer of:

* BillyElliotPlot
----

Described by some as "a ComingOutStory without the gay", this film has spawned its own trope; The BillyElliotPlot, where young boys in a coming-of-age story learn an important lesson -- BeYourself… even if it does involve leotards.

* MelancholyMusicalNumber: "Grandma's Song" is a haunting lament about the life she was denied of by society's expectations and [[AwfulWeddedLife a very unhappy marriage]], and how she wishes it had been different yet recognizes the futility in rewritting the past.

* DarkReprise: The lyrics of "Solidarity" are heard as a distant echo during the "Angry Dance", but the confrontations with the police have long stopped to be funny. Brutal beatdowns are all but outright shown.

* HeroicBSOD: Billy emotionnally shatters after being humiliated by his brother into being forced to dance. He first hides in his room then starts dancing mechanically with, exteriorizing all his rage and frustration, ending up collapsing with a SkywardScream.
* MelancholyMusicalNumber: "Grandma's Song" is a haunting lament about the life she was denied of by society's expectations and [[AwfulWeddedLife a very unhappy marriage]], how she wishes it had been different yet recognizes the futility in rewritting the past.

* SkywardScream: Billy lets out a soul-rending one at the end of the "Angry Dance".

--> '''Billy (singing)''': ''"It's a bit like being angry. It's a bit like being scared. Confused and all mixed up and mad as hell. It's like when you've been crying. And you're empty and you're full. I don't know what it is, it's hard to tell.3''

* AbusiveParents: Jackie Elliot to his children at some points.

* AngryDance
* CounterpointDuet / DistantDuet: In "Solidarity," the ballet class scenes are intercut with scenes from the strike, with girls in tutus dancing in between cops swinging billy cubs and nightsticks. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools It works well.]] They use different musical melodies.

* TheMusical

* TookALevelInBadass: Grandma! From delusional sweet old lady to delusional sweet HILARIOUS old lady. Plus she runs down a hall with a knife. Sure, it was to open a letter, but still.

Described by some as "a ComingOutStory without the gay", this film has spawned its own trope: The BillyElliotPlot, where young boys in a coming-of-age story learn an important lesson -- BeYourself. Even if it does involve leotards.

[[caption-width-right:300: Can leap tall commendations in a single bound!]]

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Both Billy's father and brother. They're hot-headed and a bit abrasive towards Billy. When they learn that Billy wants to pursue ballet, they're a bit shocked at first, but eventually decide to help him pursue his passion. By the end of the musical, the two express their pride in Billy.

* CounterpointDuet / DistantDuet: In "Solidarity," the ballet class scenes are intercut with scenes from the strike, with girls in tutus dancing in between cops swinging billy cubs and nightsticks. [[TropesAreNotBad It works well.]] They use different musical melodies.

''Billy Elliot'' is the story of an eleven-year-old boy who escapes the harshness of his existence by discovering his passion for Ballet. Inspired by A. J. Cronin's novel ''The Stars Look Down'' and directed by Stephen Daldry, this 2000 film spawned a highly successful West End musical, a collaboration between the film's original screenwriter Lee Hall and Music/EltonJohn. ''Billy Elliot'' is both a gritty historical drama and a heart-warming feelgood movie.