Happy Go Lucky Movie Review
Poppy is a very good person. She is an incredibly cheerful and energetic person as well. She seems to carry on a joyous dialogue with herself and others at all times. She is an extremist.
Mike Leighs “Happy-Go-Lucky” is about Poppy. Mike Leigh’s method of filmmaking is renowned-he begins with an idea, an outline, then fleshes the script, or rather creates it, thru rehearsals with the actors. The result is usually an incredible film and amazing acting. The one difference here is the subject matter as usually Leigh directs such seriousness towards serious matters-a period piece on a secret abortionist, working class woes, shady character on edge. Not to say Mike Leigh films aren’t thrilling, they are because everything in them is so excellent, but let’s admit that sometimes these subjects can be a drag (though I find excellent filmmaking uplifting whether sad or happy in subject matter I am relenting to the mass appeal on this subject of difficult and ‘downer’ films) but here Poppy is, as the title says “Happy-Go-Lucky.”
Still, without giving away a shred of plot I will say that the very best of films contain moments of opposite- a comedy with some suspense or pathos’ a drama with a few laughs, and “Happy-Go-Lucky” is certainly one of the very best films of this year or any other.
It is neo-realist in it’s unfolding and perhaps not coincidentally a stolen bike launches us on our way. Small changes begat larger events and instead of buying a new bike, Poppy makes lemonade by deciding it’s time to take driving lessons. Her instructor Scott (brilliantly portrayed by Eddie Marsan) turns out to be a little stressed and repressed-a beautiful challenge perhaps for Poppy. There are shades of similarity between a bully in her primary school class and the sad sad man that Scott is. Poppy of course wants to help them both. But she is not a do-gooder. No, it is Poppy’s right to live with such joy, those who choose not to use it be damned. Poppy is three dimensional but her smile almost never leaves. She is a school teacher, good at her job, and away from it enjoys the company of her longtime roommate. Drinks are plentiful, and Poppy’s outfits are outlandishly colorful. Poppy’s two sisters couldn’t be any more unlike her-one pregnant and structured to a fault, the other simply young and brooding. Then there are the flamenco lessons, or best moments of broad comedy come here from the instructor. Poppy does not hesitant to takes things sunny side up whatever they may be. She loses her bike, she hurts her back, she must deal with her sisters and her maniacal driving instructor. She doesn’t change. In fact, in this film characters don’t change. Sadly, dependably, more like life than in a screenplay where the first rule is that characters must change. No this is a deep focus picture of a wonderful woman. Some may find her annoying. I find her beautiful and for all her beauty, from her light, we see the characters around her.
Story: A realist portrait of Poppy. A +
Acting: Like virtually all Leigh films A+
Visuals: Does nothing to distract from our portrait of poppy. Plain. B
Originality/Innovation: Leigh’s method is innovative, and such a deep realistic look at this woman, relegated to a character role but for the world of Mike Leigh. A
Enjoyability Grade: A
Overall Grade: Simply a modern masterpiece of acting and storytelling. Dripping humanity. A +
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