Subtitled "an urban fairytale", Jonathan Harvey's adaptation of his own stage play heralds a new talent in director Hettie Macdonald, as well as a highly promising screenwriter.

The film has two things that should ensure success - a real feeling for ordinary life and a way of translating that into a sympathetic and believable human story.

The story is set during a long hot summer on a large London council estate. Jamie lives with his mother, Sandra. Ste, their neighbour, is good looking and sports-mad.

But he has a violent and drunken father and his older brother deals drugs. One night, to escape the violence, Ste takes refuge with Jamie and sleeps in the same bed with him.

The film, though, is in no way exclusively a gay film.

It is more about relationships, prejudice, the difficulty of life on the other side of the tracks and the sheer indomitability of those who, despite everything, manage to transcend the circumstances.

Sympathetically acted and directed, Beautiful Thing is funny, touching and has the kind of warmth to which audiences clearly respond.

That is why, though small in scale, it should have a much wider appeal than your average festival movie.

Derek Malcolm, FIPRESCI

Prod co: World Production for Channel Four

Prods: Tony Garnett, Bill Shapter

Dir: Hettie Macdonald

Scr: Jonathan Harvey, adapted from his own play

Ph: Chris Seager

Ed: Don Fairservice

Prod des: Mark Stevenson

Costumes: Pam Tait

Music: John Altman

Cast: Meera Syal, Martin Walsh, Steven Martin, Andrew Fraser, John Savage, Scott Neal, Glen Berry, Julie Smith

Running time: 90 minutes

Int sales: Film Four

Screenings: 22 June, 15.00, Blanik; 28 June, 15.00, KCP-Koncertní

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