Jan Wahl Movie Review: 'Beginners'

(KCBS) - KCBS Entertainment Editor Jan Wahl reviews the new film starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, and Melanie Laurent.

Beginners (R)

From the beautiful letter Mouse reads to his mother at the end of Tales of the City to The Wedding Banquet and Saving Face, coming out as a gay person is dramatic and cathartic. The new film Beginners is an autobiographical dramody by Mike Mills. Two terrific actors and one fabulous dog bring it all to life. Ewan McGregor is learning two things about his father - this is not giving anything away- one: his father is dying and two: his father has decided to come out at last as a gay man. Christopher Plummer plays the father with soulful authenticity. I wish there was more of him in the film. But at least McGregor is perfectly cast, dealing with his own romance (with feisty, interesting Melanie Laurent), confusion and grief. Attention fellow dog lovers: there's a marvelous dog in this film and nothing bad happens to him. He just makes everyone a better human. The film is not perfect, but brims over with the messy, complicated often bizarre thing we call life. Three hats and a special hats off to Plummer and McGregor, acting at its most natural and best.

SEE NOW: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, X MEN: FIRST CLASS, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

DVD/HOME VIDEO: TRUE GRIT (2012), ANOTHER YEAR

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)