Beginners

Mike Mills writes and directs this semi-autobiographical comedy drama starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer. The film finds 30-something graphic designer and commitment-phobe Oliver (McGregor) in a period of transition, having recently lost both parents. Oliver particularly struggles with the legacy of his father, Hal (Plummer), who in the years following his wife's death came out of the closet and embarked on a relationship with a younger man, Andy (Goran Visnjic), before succumbing to prostate cancer. As Oliver strives to make sense of his father's life he meets Anna (Mélanie Laurent), a kooky French actress, and the pair begin a relationship. Will the experience of caring for his father help Oliver overcome the fears of commitment that have dogged his relationships to date? Plummer received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.