Gabriel & Me

Though screenwriter Lee Hall’s Gabriel & Me was released in 2001, his radio play upon which this film is based—I Luv You Jimmy Spud—actually predates his international hit Billy Elliot. The plot treads much of the same ground: In working-class northern England, when lonely Jimmy Spud (Sean Landless) learns his bullying father (Iain Glen) is dying of lung cancer, the boy wishes to become an angel and do good on Earth. Enter Billy Connolly as Gabriel to help him. Sporting black eyeliner and wavy hair, Connolly isn’t an ideal candidate for playing the archangel, and Landless isn’t nearly as charming as Billy Elliot’s Jamie Bell, though he is not without his appeal.

Shelf Talk: Playing up Hall’s name as the writer of Billy Elliot is the best way to sell this drama (though American viewers might have trouble with the thick English accents). Fortunately, it’s a strong point that will attract many viewers, especially since Billy has just made its way to the Broadway stage.