Did anyone go see this? Worth seeing or not?
It sounds like the anti-Aronofsky film.
Absolutely worth seeing. Probably my favorite Mike Leigh film after Naked. Now that Sally Hawkins got the Golden Globe (well deserved, in my opinion), it’ll hopefully get a wider release.
-TomYeah, it’s a treat.
We went to this instead of Rachel Getting Married because that was sold out, and it was a great movie.
And it taught me new ways to criticize my lady-pal’s driving.
El Rahah! El Rahah!
I love that actor. His name is Eddie Marsan and you’ll see him all over the place. He first caught my eye as Benico del Toro’s pastor in 21 Grams. He’s excellent in Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake and he’ll be Inspector Lestrade in the Robert Downey Jr./Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes.
El Rahah!
-TomI also just watched this on DVD, a nice happy movie thats well observed enough to come across as genuine. Its also funny and features dancing to Pulp, which is a winner in my book.
MINOR SPOILER
I particularly like the family scene with the three sisters. One of them is trying to convince Poppy (the main character) that she isn’t happy because she hasn’t got any of the trappings of suburbia (mortgage, husband, pension) despite all the full body of evidence to the contrary in the film so far. That’s right society, there is another way.
I also like Poppy’s continued evasiveness (dodging her housemate’s questions about where she had been that evening, after a strange encounter with a homeless gentleman) and a reluctance to dwell on difficult or unfortunate things (such as the theft of her bike, ‘Oh we didn’t get to have a proper good bye’). Then there is one scene when she is just sitting alone on some steps, that serves as a sort of silent monologue, its almost the only time she is still and not laughing or smiling. A whole bunch of little hints that build up a picture of the way that she manages to stay so happy all the time, despite difficult things happening all around her. I also like that there is some truth in the crazed rant the lonely driving instructor gives her, but nowhere near enough, and does it matter anyway?
I just saw him in Hancock too. He was pretty compelling even in a small, silly role as a bank robber. Interesting face.
Just see this tonight. Pretty great movie that felt loose and breezy but then could get serious without having to halt everything to have a “SERIOUS MOMENT”. Hawkins was fantastic, her seemingly over-the-top character is so subtly developed through her interactions with friends, family and her work that her worldview is allowed to emerge very naturally. A character like this in the wrong hands could have gone really, really wrong.
The rest of the support cast was great, with Marsan projecting his rage and frustration so effectively you feel sad and repulsed. And of course, that flamenco dance teacher… where does Leigh find these people?
Sidebar: Marsan has a scene in Vera Drake where the whole family is together at Christmas (or some such) and everyone is fighting and after half of the party has stormed out of the room, he looks around and very earnestly says “I had a wonderful time” (or something to that effect). And he really means it. Small moment, says a lot.
Saw this last night. I think it came out for U.S. DVD release like, last Tuesday? Maybe it was before that, not sure. Anyway, great film as others have said.
I think the scene I enjoyed most was her moment of sincerity with the crazy homeless man. Something about the “You know, you know, you know, you know, you know…” and her honestly looking at him, trying to break through and saying, “Yeah, I do know”. It was a very sweet moment and summed up her character and charmed look at life succinctly. And then, like that they part ways abruptly, like a number of other people she meets in her life.
But the thing about that scene that really sold the movie for me, is that it’s like for a brief moment she seems to acknowledge that she keeps up a bit of a facade. Yes, she genuinely is a happy person, but everyone has their moments where all of it washes away - even happy-go-lucky people like herself. The veil is lifted at that moment (at least it seemed that way for me) and in a very indirect way - it’s all expressed with body language and vocal phrasing. I think she’s trying to relate to him even on a basic level, but also realizing life’s harsh realities.
I want to check out more films that Sally Hawkins is in, any suggestions?
Saw this last weekend, I liked the film but I don’t think I loved it.
Sally Hawkins is phenomenal, though.
Sula and I are big fans of Mike Leigh and both thought this was fine but nothing special. Not as dull as Secrets & Lies, but not as engaging as Naked, All Or Nothing or High Hopes.
We rate it below Life Is Sweet but above Topsy Turvy and Career Girls.