It's been a Mike Leigh weekend for me. Those of you who know me well, will know that I have been a Mike Leigh fan for many years. Ever since in fact I first saw Abigail's Party, Many moons ago!
To coincide with the release of Happy Go Lucky, the Mike Leigh Feature Film Box Set has been released with 10 of his best films. These include;-
Bleak Moments
Meantime
High Hopes
Naked
Life Is Sweet
Secrets & Lies
Career Girls
Topsy Turvy
Vera Drake
All Or Nothing
This is an amazing collection to have, and so, the DVD box set arrived on Friday and yesterday I watched a couple of films I had not yet got around to seeing, All or Nothing and Career Girls. I get totally submerged into his films. What I like about them is the fact that it is like walking down and street in any town and knocking on a random door and being let in to someones world, at any given point in time. The films don't necessarily have a structured beginning and an end, it's more of a snapshot of a wider picture of how different people in our society live.
Happy Go Lucky
With Happy Go Lucky, Leigh breaks away from the usual graininess of social realism and provides us with the instantly likable character of Poppy.
Synopsis
Poppy is an irrepressible 30–something enjoying her life in Camden, north London‘s boho HQ. Whether out on her bike, preparing lessons for the kids in her primary school class, or drinking with friends in the local, she keeps a smile on her face and a joke on her lips. Despite the misgivings of her younger sister, who has settled down in the suburbs to start a family, Poppy is happy with her life and determined to get the most out of every day. When her bicycle is stolen, however, Poppy decides to invest in driving lessons, a decision that will bring her face–to–face with a character and a world view quite unlike her own. Mike Leigh‘s first film since the Oscar nominated "Vera Drake" re–teams the veteran figure of Britain‘s social realist movement with star Sally Hawkins. As Poppy, Hawkins is in almost every frame, and she lights up the screen with a performance of infectious energy and enthusiasm. "Happy–Go–Lucky" sees a calmer, more optimistic take on post–Blair Britain from Leigh. It is a country where individualism and the pursuit of happiness define the lives of a generation, but where old–fashioned ideas like community and selflessness still exist.
Comment
A thoroughly enjoyable film, made more so by the brilliant acting talent of Sally Hawkins. Being as this is Leigh's first film since the remarkable Vera Drake many will feel that this film just doesn't hit the grade, which would be a terrible shame. This film is upbeat and illuminating, funny yet often poignant. An absolute triumph!
To see the trailer press HERE
Star Rating;- * * * *
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