SummaryTwo best friends in a small Scottish town in the summer of '94 who head out for one last night together before life takes them in different directions. Going to an illegal rave, the boys journey into an underworld of anarchy, freedom and collision with the law as they share a night that they will never forget.
Directed By:Brian Welsh
Written By:Kieran Hurley, Brian Welsh
Beats
Metascore
Generally Favorable
74
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
86% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
14% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
May 17, 2019
91
Careful and deliberate character work in the script paints a striking picture of two friends who are outcasts in their little world yet still find a way to integrate into a community.
May 17, 2019
80
Beats brilliantly captures the nervy, joyful terror of turning up at a derelict warehouse equipped with a soundsystem and woefully inadequate toilet facilities. And it’s a testament, too, to the uncomplicated platonic love between two lads who both know, deep down, that they are too flakey to stay in contact.
May 17, 2019
80
Beats is a truly heartfelt rites-of-passage tale — an immersive, intoxicating portrayal of the rave scene at its peak.
Jun 25, 2020
75
The movie is predictable at times, but also winning, with a thumping soundtrack and smartly written characters. Ortega, with his Peter-from-“Office Space”-deer-in-the-headlights look, is the movie’s appealing center.
May 17, 2019
70
Beats proceeds to give a dying scene its euphoric due, in a dazzling digression from stage-based form.
Jun 25, 2020
50
Beats catches the misery and desperation that powered rave culture and the era of DayGlo shell suits. The disappointment is that the Welsh strips all the color out of Hurley's vibrant play, which he originally staged with a live DJ accompaniment.
User score
Universal Acclaim
100% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Jun 26, 2020
10
I watched this at the cinema and thought it was incredible. Great music, acting and editing. I hope to watch again soon.
Dec 13, 2020
9
A perfect blend of drama and a portrayal of 90's rave culture. Two friends from different backgrounds want to attend a massive rave as they try to cope with their changing friendship and their respective home situations. I'm not necessarily very fond of 90's techno, but here it's used to great effect to score their journey. The music -and the use of it- is definitely one of the highlights to the movie. It's shot quite nicely and the black & white aesthetic fits seamlessly (in some films it took me a while to adapt to it). The cast of characters remains interesting over the course of the film, revealing more about the main l(e)ads. The way the movie portrays youth culture in the 90's is quite interesting, but never really overshadows the interpersonal drama that's at the core of the film. TL:DR What if Project X, but less ridiculous and more intimate. Also in Scotland, like.
Production Company:
- Rosetta Productions
Release Date:Jun 26, 2020
Duration:1 h 41 m
Awards
British Independent Film Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
Film by the Sea International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
BAFTA Awards, Scotland
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
