We have just one thing clear: Happy-Go-Lucky is not a comedy. It 's a beautiful film, written directed and acted great, but is by no means "light." Indeed, now that I think I remember that this could be the "positive" another film by Mike Leigh, the beautiful Naked , 1993. The two works seem to actually symmetrical: Poppy, the heroine of Happy-Go-Lucky , is the exact opposite of Johnny, the protagonist of Naked : although in common sharp irony and sarcasm burning, the two "use" their intellectual gifts for totally different purposes. If Poppy wants to love others, Johnny hates Poppy wants to build, destroy Johnny, you want groped to understand, he only order. Both, however, clash with the reality that surrounds them.
not easy to talk after due consideration of these films: they are difficult and complex works, which go and return. I now simply ask, why this apparent symmetry, after 15 years? I do not think Leigh is an author optimist, his view of things is quite bleak, and certainly full of disenchantment. So I guess that, of the destructive fury of Johnny and the solar character of Poppy, the author has a preference. What really matters though, is that the same protagonist Happy-Go-Lucky is not without its shadows: that is, not only a good person and misunderstood in spite of everything that can live in a world of indifference and malice. She also is able to do evil, and to be cruel. She is also self-centered, she believes, is a delightful character, not because it is very "nice" but because it is very "complicated".
Then perhaps it is not symmetrical, as regards the relationship between this film and 1993: in fact, both stories have the characters at its center rather peculiar nature, which become significant and "different" because of some striking components of their character. And I think the key is not in the protagonists, but in the world around them: that is, Leigh uses the main characters to tell us, by contrast, as those who live around them. The actors are like special lenses through which to view the reality, and always with the same result, or the perception of what it is miserable and poor and depressing. So basically it is pointless to ask why there are people like Poppy, or his black counterpart Johnny Leigh not so interested in exploring their inner selves (although these characters are written and presented in a masterly way), as their context. Poppy is just "above average", and from there can see better, difference, how are things in the media to those who are up to their necks.
A round of applause for Mike Leigh, therefore, always a master, the script is already extraordinary, write a movie like this is quite a few, in fact, very few, and the direction is of course up to the task, strong as a rock but with the lightness, yes, comedy. And a round of applause also adorable Sally Hawkins, very impressive: 32 years is already an actress with a capital of incredible natural and amazing expressive range ... I love that girl, even though he had not understood.
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