TAKING A GOOD-NATURED, `REAL' LOOK AT GAY TEEN.

Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic

It may be the land of Boy George and Tinky Winky, but don't let that fool you. Growing up gay in England is just as hard as growing up gay anywhere else.

``Get Real'' is a generally credible, good-humored look at the travails of teen-age homosexuality. It's essentially your basic coming-of-age movie, just with a different orientation, accents and more-or-less believable characters. Other than that, like such recent U.K. exports as ``The Full Monty'' and ``Waking Ned Devine,'' ``Real'' makes an extra-special effort to be charmingly accessible for (hopefully large) U.S. audiences. Even the London suburb of Basingstoke, where the film is set, looks more American than British.

Ben Silverstone (no relation to Alicia) plays 16-year-old Steven Carter, who's known he was gay since the Cub Scouts but hasn't told anybody except his plump neighbor Linda (Charlotte Brittain, doing a kind of European Rosie O'Donnell). He spends his afterschool hours hanging around the men's room in the park and his time on campus trying to avoid bullying jocks, who don't know he's queer but think calling him one is a big insult.

The handsomest, most athletically accomplished of this otherwise Neanderthal bunch is John Dixon (Brad Gorton). All the girls at school dream about John; Steven barely dares to. But after running into John at his favorite haunt, Steven can't believe his luck. Unfortunately, John can't believe his inclination, and even though the two boys embark on a passionate affair, John insists on keeping it a secret. This, in turn, radicalizes Steven toward the door of his own closet.

Screenwriter Patrick Wilde (no relation to Oscar), whose play ``What's Wrong With Angry?'' the film is based on, has a good knack for ratcheting up universal teen self-consciousness a few notches without making his characters unduly neurotic. Everyone should be able to relate to Steven's embarrassments, triumphs and the mood swings in between - at least until things take an overly dramatic turn toward the end.

Director Simon Shore (nope, not Pauly's cousin) gets terrifically believable performances out of Silverstone and Gorton, and nice little moments from most of those playing their bewildered parents, classmates and teachers. That said, many of these side characters are nonetheless pat - either naturally supportive or threatened or designed to come around - and you often wish that more was specifically English about the movie than just kids in school uniforms.

But ``Get Real'' is pretty honest about what really matters to its protagonists. That's not only unusual for a gay-themed film aimed at the most mainstream of audiences, but for films about young people in general.

THE FACTS

The film: ``Get Real'' (R; language, nudity, drug use, mild violence).

The stars: Ben Silverstone, Brad Gorton, Charlotte Brittain, Stacy A. Hart.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Simon Shore. Written by Patrick Wilde, based on his play ``What's Wrong With Angry?'' Produced by Stephen Taylor. Released by Paramount Classics.

Running time: One hour, 50 minutes.

Playing: Century 14, Century City; Sunset 5, West Hollywood; Los Feliz 3, Los Feliz.

Our rating: Three stars.

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Photo

Photo: In ``Get Real,'' gay teen-ager Steven (Ben Silverstone) hasn't told anybody except his neighbor Linda (Charlotte Brittain) about his sexual orientation.