Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie MarsanDirector: Mike Leigh
Format: Currently on release at selected cinemas since 18/04/2008.
Certificate: 15 (Strong language)
A big hi to everyone who' reading this blog and many apologies for the inordinately lengthy pause between my inaugural review and this one. I was entirely preoccupied with completion of my PhD thesis but have a bit of time off now before embarking on some revisions to my work.
Anyway, on to this review. Happy-Go-Lucky is the latest film from highly-acclaimed British director/auteur Mike Leigh, and follows the life of Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a primary school teacher whose temperament and outlook on life is essentially... yes you've guessed it... happy-go-lucky. She hasn't a bad word to say about anybody and cannot resist chatting to every stranger she meets (often to their chagrin) as she goes about her business. The basic premise of the film involves Poppy's decision to jettison her bicycle in favour of a car, and thus begins to take driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), an instructor with an entirely different world view to Poppy. It is her interactions with Scott, as well as her siblings and co-workers, that are detailed in this film.
For me, this film was a bit of a curate's egg. I must admit straight off the bat that including this one, I have only ever seen three of Mike Leigh's films, the other two being Secrets and Lies and All or Nothing. Both I found to be excellent pieces of work from a clearly exceptionally talented film-maker and I was looking forward to more of the same. And Happy-Go-Lucky delivers... but not on all counts. The quality of the film is undeniable, particularly evident in the acting performances which are first-rate and, most importantly for me, real. These are real people who we have probably all met at some point in our lives. Scott the driving instructor reminded me of a now ex-friend for example and every time he was on screen I could not help but imagine that this is how this ex-friend would turn out come middle-age. Similarly, those who watch Happy-Go-Lucky will no doubt have come across a Poppy at some point in their lives also. Which leads me on to my main criticism of the film; Poppy herself.
For at least half the film, I can but use one word to describe her: ANNOYING. Whilst she is an unfeasibly decent individual, Poppy is at times simply exhausting (Note that I am referring to the character and not the performance by Sally Hawkins which is excellent). To be happy and full of the joys of spring is one thing; but to come across like a chimpanzee with ADHD is quite another. This is particularly evident during the driving lesson scenes, in which on a number of occassions, she is berated by her instructor Scott for mucking about instead of actually focusing on the road. Whilst Scott is an obnoxious character whose world view I certainly did not agree with, I also found myself sympathising with his exasperation with a pupil who seemed less interested in learning to drive safely and more with reacting to every comment and instruction with an inane grin and an equally inane comment of her own. Indeed, at one point, Scott expresses in no uncertain terms his absolute bewilderment at how such an immature individual would be put in charge of educating children, and at the time, I thought he was not ENTIRELY incorrect in his view.
However, Mike Leigh balances showcasing Poppy's life outside of school hours by showing the way in which she works and interacts with her pupils. And the school scenes were for me a real highlight of the film. Poppy is a simply brilliant teacher. She is inspiring, fun and most importantly, very conscientious. The last quality is shown beautifully during the film when Poppy steps in to help an extremely unhappy pupil, and such scenes are interestingly juxtaposed with the somewhat grating manner in which Poppy conducts herself in everyday life.
It may be noted that the majority of this review centres around the main character, but this is because Happy-Go-Lucky is entirely Poppy's story. She is in every scene in the film, and, in actuality, pretty much every FRAME of the film. For me, one's enjoyment of the film centres around the issue of how tolerable one finds Poppy herself. And it is here that I come to a cross-roads. Basically, I suppose I could say that I liked Poppy. She is clearly a warm hearted person, and in todays highly cynical age where getting a hello out of a shopkeeper is in itself an ordeal, it is certainly commendable for Mike Leigh to make a film about a character who is far more PMA than PMT, particularly given the more serious nature of his main body of work. However, this for me did not alter the fact that I found the central character to be rather annoying on more than one occassion, and this left me wondering what Mike Leigh was trying to convey through Poppy. Was he trying to bemoan the more cynicised world that we live in today whilst also lamenting the lack of more people like Poppy, or was he trying to show that whilst it is great that people like Poppy may wish to make everybody happy, this is an unrealistic goal and one that may often result in a lack of awareness about what makes others the way they are. Chances are, Mike Leigh was thinking about neither of these things, and I know not what I am talking about. But these are the questions that this reviewer found himself asking.
As for whether I would recommend the film, I would, all in all, say yes. Mike Leigh is a great director, and this is a very simple but very well made film. The fact that the central character got on my nerves on a number of occassions should not detract from this, as Sally Hawkins gives a great performance supported ably by the rest of the cast.
Overall mark: 7/10.
Anyway, on to this review. Happy-Go-Lucky is the latest film from highly-acclaimed British director/auteur Mike Leigh, and follows the life of Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a primary school teacher whose temperament and outlook on life is essentially... yes you've guessed it... happy-go-lucky. She hasn't a bad word to say about anybody and cannot resist chatting to every stranger she meets (often to their chagrin) as she goes about her business. The basic premise of the film involves Poppy's decision to jettison her bicycle in favour of a car, and thus begins to take driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), an instructor with an entirely different world view to Poppy. It is her interactions with Scott, as well as her siblings and co-workers, that are detailed in this film.
For me, this film was a bit of a curate's egg. I must admit straight off the bat that including this one, I have only ever seen three of Mike Leigh's films, the other two being Secrets and Lies and All or Nothing. Both I found to be excellent pieces of work from a clearly exceptionally talented film-maker and I was looking forward to more of the same. And Happy-Go-Lucky delivers... but not on all counts. The quality of the film is undeniable, particularly evident in the acting performances which are first-rate and, most importantly for me, real. These are real people who we have probably all met at some point in our lives. Scott the driving instructor reminded me of a now ex-friend for example and every time he was on screen I could not help but imagine that this is how this ex-friend would turn out come middle-age. Similarly, those who watch Happy-Go-Lucky will no doubt have come across a Poppy at some point in their lives also. Which leads me on to my main criticism of the film; Poppy herself.
For at least half the film, I can but use one word to describe her: ANNOYING. Whilst she is an unfeasibly decent individual, Poppy is at times simply exhausting (Note that I am referring to the character and not the performance by Sally Hawkins which is excellent). To be happy and full of the joys of spring is one thing; but to come across like a chimpanzee with ADHD is quite another. This is particularly evident during the driving lesson scenes, in which on a number of occassions, she is berated by her instructor Scott for mucking about instead of actually focusing on the road. Whilst Scott is an obnoxious character whose world view I certainly did not agree with, I also found myself sympathising with his exasperation with a pupil who seemed less interested in learning to drive safely and more with reacting to every comment and instruction with an inane grin and an equally inane comment of her own. Indeed, at one point, Scott expresses in no uncertain terms his absolute bewilderment at how such an immature individual would be put in charge of educating children, and at the time, I thought he was not ENTIRELY incorrect in his view.
However, Mike Leigh balances showcasing Poppy's life outside of school hours by showing the way in which she works and interacts with her pupils. And the school scenes were for me a real highlight of the film. Poppy is a simply brilliant teacher. She is inspiring, fun and most importantly, very conscientious. The last quality is shown beautifully during the film when Poppy steps in to help an extremely unhappy pupil, and such scenes are interestingly juxtaposed with the somewhat grating manner in which Poppy conducts herself in everyday life.
It may be noted that the majority of this review centres around the main character, but this is because Happy-Go-Lucky is entirely Poppy's story. She is in every scene in the film, and, in actuality, pretty much every FRAME of the film. For me, one's enjoyment of the film centres around the issue of how tolerable one finds Poppy herself. And it is here that I come to a cross-roads. Basically, I suppose I could say that I liked Poppy. She is clearly a warm hearted person, and in todays highly cynical age where getting a hello out of a shopkeeper is in itself an ordeal, it is certainly commendable for Mike Leigh to make a film about a character who is far more PMA than PMT, particularly given the more serious nature of his main body of work. However, this for me did not alter the fact that I found the central character to be rather annoying on more than one occassion, and this left me wondering what Mike Leigh was trying to convey through Poppy. Was he trying to bemoan the more cynicised world that we live in today whilst also lamenting the lack of more people like Poppy, or was he trying to show that whilst it is great that people like Poppy may wish to make everybody happy, this is an unrealistic goal and one that may often result in a lack of awareness about what makes others the way they are. Chances are, Mike Leigh was thinking about neither of these things, and I know not what I am talking about. But these are the questions that this reviewer found himself asking.
As for whether I would recommend the film, I would, all in all, say yes. Mike Leigh is a great director, and this is a very simple but very well made film. The fact that the central character got on my nerves on a number of occassions should not detract from this, as Sally Hawkins gives a great performance supported ably by the rest of the cast.
Overall mark: 7/10.
1 comment:
I know little of Mike Leigh's work but do find it amusing that he can make a film based upon a floaty, happy type of character - isn't he known for his dour situations and characterisations?
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