Editing Billy Elliot (section)

=== Critical response ===
[[File:Jamie Bell by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|[[Jamie Bell]] (pictured in 2015) received acclaim for his performance as Billy.|216x216px]]
On review aggregator website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 85% based on 119 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "''Billy Elliot'' is a charming movie that can evoke both laughter and tears."<ref name="tomatoes">{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/billy_elliot|title=Billy Elliot (2000)|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127040601/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/billy_elliot/|archive-date=27 November 2017|access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/billy-elliot|title=Billy Elliot Reviews|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505230815/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/billy-elliot|archive-date=5 May 2018|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com/|title=CinemaScore|publisher=[[CinemaScore]]|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130540/https://www.cinemascore.com/|archive-date=2 January 2018|access-date=2020-01-02}} (Type 'Billy Elliot' in the search box.)</ref>

Film critic [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film three out of four stars, calling the film "as much parable and fantasy as it is realistic". He said Bell's performance was "engaging", Lewis was "convincing" and Walters was "spirited and colourful".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/billy-elliot-2000/ |title=Billy Elliot |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |work=RogerEbert.com |publisher=Ebert Digital LLC |access-date=9 April 2018 |date=13 October 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227212916/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/billy-elliot-2000 |archive-date=27 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' praised the film saying, "This is a film with a lot of charm, a lot of humour and a lot of heart. Daldry's direction and the screenplay by Lee Hall distinguish themselves further in the discreet, intelligent way ... ''Billy Elliot'' has a freshness that makes it a pleasure to watch; it's a very emphatic success".<ref>{{Cite news|date=2000-09-29|title=Billy Elliot|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/sep/29/1|url-status=live|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229004813/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/sep/29/1|archive-date=29 December 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> David Rooney of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' also praised the cast, writing, "Relationships between all the characters are well observed—the father and his sons, the two brothers, and Billy and his grandmother, his friend Michael and jaded Mrs. Wilkinson—all of them yielding sweet, unforced feel-good moments". Rooney also praised the cinematography, visuals and soundtrack in showing Billy's rebelliousness.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rooney|first=David|date=2000-05-22|title=Billy Elliot|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/billy-elliot-4-1200462157/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226180206/https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/billy-elliot-4-1200462157/|archive-date=26 December 2019|access-date=2019-12-26|website=Variety|language=en}}</ref> Charlotte O'Sullivan of ''[[The Independent]]'' wrote the cast are "near perfect", adding the film is "as raw a slice of escapism as you could wish for".<ref>{{Cite web|last=O'Sullivan|first=Charlotte|date=2008-11-21|title=First Impressions: Billy Elliot (2000)|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/first-impressions-billy-elliot-2000-1027341.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102223256/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/first-impressions-billy-elliot-2000-1027341.html|archive-date=2 January 2020|access-date=2020-01-02|website=[[The Independent]]|language=en}}</ref> [[William Gallagher (writer)|William Gallagher]] from the BBC gave the film five out of five stars, writing, "It's a simple tale but one that is extremely well told and acted. Fittingly for a story about dance, it doesn't put a foot wrong and is engrossing, funny, very sad, very moving and very uplifting."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gallagher|first=William|date=2000-10-11|title=BBC – Films – Billy Elliot|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/09/11/billy_elliot_review.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201015718/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/09/11/billy_elliot_review.shtml|archive-date=1 December 2017|access-date=2020-01-02|website=BBC}}</ref>

Some critics gave a mixed response. [[Time Out (magazine)|''Timeout'']] magazine believes that "Daldry overuses the dance as a metaphor for escape and frustration, and choreographer Peter Darling's grandstanding ballet numbers sit a little uneasily, given the realist comedy pitch".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/film/billy-elliot|title=Billy Elliot|website=Time Out London|date=10 September 2012 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707225240/https://www.timeout.com/london/film/billy-elliot|archive-date=7 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' notes that there were "patches of thinness and predictability", and that "the first half seems to acknowledge its own triteness". However, he compliments the pacing of the scenes and the actors who "inhabit their roles like second-hand suits".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/13/movies/film-review-escaping-a-miner-s-life-for-a-career-in-ballet.html|title=Film Review; Escaping a Miner's Life For a Career in Ballet|last=Scott|first=A. O.|author-link=A.O. Scott|date=2000-10-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-12-26|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226180206/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/13/movies/film-review-escaping-a-miner-s-life-for-a-career-in-ballet.html|archive-date=26 December 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Mark Holcomb, writing for ''[[IndieWire]]'', took issue with the "odd, unsuccessful mix of theatrical whimsy and social realism", and a dance scene which he describes as a "cringe-inducing '80s-style music video routine".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2000/10/review-mixed-steps-pleasing-and-predictable-billy-elliot-81347/|title=Review: Mixed Steps, Pleasing and Predictable "Billy Elliot"|last=Holcomb|first=Mark|date=2000-10-12|website=IndieWire|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102223244/https://www.indiewire.com/2000/10/review-mixed-steps-pleasing-and-predictable-billy-elliot-81347/|archive-date=2 January 2020|access-date=2020-01-02}}</ref>