Can't Hide the Pride

The cast, as pictured on the official movie poster

One significant scene in the movie that I like happens around the 45:00 mark. After the L.G.S.M. helped to free the miners from jail after being wrongfully detained for protesting, they held a celebration that entailed drinking many pints, mingling between 'the gays' and the miners, and plenty of dancing. This party marked the end of Joe's stay, and they brought him back home with a box of pastries to keep up the lie Joe told to his mother to hide where he actually was over the past week.

Over pastries with his mother, Joe reveals that the time he spent with the group was the best experience of his entire life. His mother, still believing that he had been making pastries, is left a bit confused, but the joy of Joe's realization is clear on his face. The camera moves in on his face as he begins to laugh, unable to contain his giddiness. The upbeat music fades in, emphasizing his starting to accept and embrace his true self for the first time. What happens next is a montage of Joe's and the group's progress. The scenes are quick and the jump-cuts are frequent, the happy, lighthearted music never interrupted, communicating the passing of time smoothly and without obstacles.

In every shot and scene of Joe there is a big smile on his face. He is beginning to realize his true self and his happiness for the first time. He even throws old records to the side, making room for newer ones. This seemingly random snippet perfectly illustrates Joe welcoming new interests and becoming less afraid to do things that he truly enjoys, including everything from liking the same sex to listening to the music he loves. As they collect and count their growing funds, Joe shoots and prints more and more photographs, something else that gives him pride and fulfillment. However, at the end of the scene, he tucks all of his pictures and evidence of his new life inside an old children's book that still occupies his shelf, indicating that he is not yet ready to completely and unapologetically reveal his true self.