Movie Review - 'Happy-Go-Lucky'

Happy-Go-Lucky Starring Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, and Alexis Zegerman Directed by Mike Leigh Rated R

Recently dubbed "the bearded bard of social realism" by Vanity Fair, Mike Leigh has never made cookie-cutter films with an intended audience of the tens of millions. Ironically, tens of millions could easily relate to his well-constructed characters and everyday stories. A five-time Oscar nominee for his direction and screenplays, Mike Leigh is one of the truly unique names in cinema, with films like Secrets and Lies, Vera Drake, Topsy Turvy and Naked serving as his longest-lasting impressions.Joining their ranks is Happy-Go-Lucky, which might become Leigh's highest-grossing film and should, again, have its name listed among the Academy Award nominees in several categories. Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is the happy-go-lucky type. We first see her riding her bicycle through London, stopping at a bookstore. She tries to engage to all-too-serious book barista in casual conversation and is rebuffed. Poppy doesn't take it seriously and bounces out of the shop to find her bike has been stolen. "Oh," she laments, "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."During the week, Poppy teaches very young students, around first grade age. It's a good fit; the classroom is hyperkinetic and full of noise and activity, which suits pupils and teacher alike. On the weekends, Poppy has begun taking driving lessons since she no longer has a bike. Her instructor is a most disagreeable guy named Scott (Eddie Marsan). Scott is always angry. He hates his job, hates his parents (with whom he still lives), hates the government, and hates bad drivers. Because it's Poppy's nature to be a little distracted, Scott tends to have a short fuse with her, too.Like other films in Leigh's library, it isn't the arc of the characters or movement of the story that has an impact in Happy-Go-Lucky, it's the study of a creature in its natural habitat. In American romantic comedies, Poppy is the quirky friend. She wears odd clothing, marches to the beat of her own drummer, and can't possibly steal the limelight from our leading lady, though she can steal some laughs. Very rarely do we see characters like Poppy over the course of two hours in American films. She's completely benevolent, looks for the bright side in every situation, and eventually finds it.Sally Hawkins, a veteran of three Mike Leigh films at this point, seems poised for a Best Actress nomination. There's as much effort exerted in playing an everyday creation than a prefabricated one with all the trimmings, sometimes even more. Hawkins is assuredly Poppy, a woman blithely unaware of her own vulnerabilities, and she couldn't be any other way and keep the film afloat.Even though there are a handful of other characters, the rubber meets the road - literally and figuratively - in Poppy's driving lessons. Marsan is Bizarro Poppy, blocking out the sunshine with his personal rain clouds. Their meetings are brutal and brutally funny, revealing two distinct but oddly similar characters. And if we think there are lot of people like Scott in the world, then there have to be a fair amount of people like Poppy, too, the happy-go-lucky kind.

Comments

[Florence]

I found this movie truly hilarious with a quick dialogue I haven't seen in a film for a long time. Though not all reaction has been so positive. I found an interesting comment here on why some people found Poppy so annoying. It's here: http://www.pandalous.com/topic/unfortunate_receptions