Beginners 2011

Throughout the film, memories of Oliver Fields’ parents are woven into his journey as he navigates a budding relationship with Anna Wallace.

Set in Los Angeles in 2003, the story unfolds just months after the passing of Oliver’s father, Hal, from lung cancer. The 38-year-old graphic designer frequently reflects on his father’s experiences towards the end of his life. Hal, who came out to Oliver six months after the death of Georgia, his wife of 44 years and Oliver’s mother, embraced life as an openly gay man at the age of 75. He was active in the local gay community, found love with a younger man named Andy, and grew closer to Oliver than ever before. Throughout Hal’s cancer treatments, Oliver admired the grace, good humor, and sometimes apparent denial with which his father confronted his terminal illness.

Hal and Georgia’s relationship started in high school, where she believed she could “fix” his homosexuality. Although they married and remained together until her passing, their connection was rather cool, leaving Oliver with memories of a loving but frustrated mother and an emotionally distant father who often prioritized his work as a museum director. Wanting to avoid the pitfalls of his parents’ unfulfilled relationship, Oliver refrains from settling for anything less than passionate companionship, which leaves him accompanied only by Hal’s Jack Russell Terrier, Arthur, who dislikes solitude.

Encouraged by friends, Oliver attends a costume party, where he meets Anna, a French actress. Despite suffering from laryngitis and having to communicate through written messages, an instant spark ignites between them. After sharing a kiss at Anna’s hotel room, she suggests they just sleep instead, and they part ways the next day as she heads to New York for an audition, expressing a desire to see Oliver again upon her return. Motivated by his father’s resilient spirit, Oliver decides to pursue a romance with Anna.

Upon her return, Anna and Oliver quickly fall for each other, and he invites her to move in with him, which she does. However, Anna’s unresolved issues with her depressive father and her history of ending serious relationships lead her to leave her suitcase unpacked, causing tension for Oliver. As both struggle to define their life together, Oliver ultimately feels that cohabitation isn’t right for them, prompting Anna to return to New York City.

As time passes, Oliver finds himself yearning for Anna, but she does not respond to his calls. Determined to talk to her, he drops Arthur off with Andy and travels to New York. After calling her name from outside her apartment, he discovers she never actually left Los Angeles. Upon his return home, Anna visits Oliver, and despite their uncertain future, a sense of hope surrounds their reunion.