Happy-Go-Lucky Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Just how hard is it to be happy? In the effervescent new comedy from writer/director Mike Leigh ("Vera Drake," "Secrets & Lies"), Sally Hawkins stars as Poppy, an irrepressibly free-spirited school teacher who brings an infectious laugh and an unsinkable sense of optimism to every situation she encounters, offering us a touching, truthful and deeply life-affirming exploration of one of the most mysterious and often the most elusive of all human qualities: happiness. Poppy’s ability to maintain her perspective is tested as the story begins and her commuter bike is stolen. However, she enthusiastically signs up for driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), who turns out to be her nemesis — a fuming, uptight cynic. As the tension of their weekly lessons builds, Poppy encounters even more challenges to her positive state of mind: a fiery flamenco instructor, her bitter pregnant sister, a troubled homeless man and a young bully in her class, not to mention that she has also thrown out her back. How this affects not only Poppy’s world view but also the outlook of those around her begs the question, "glass half full or half empty?"
| Sally Hawkins | Poppy |
| Alexis Zegerman | Zoe |
| Samuel Roukin | Tim |
| Andrea Riseborough | Dawn |
| Sinead Matthews | Alice |
| Kate O'Flynn | Suzy |
| Sarah Niles | Tash |
| Eddie Marsan | Scott |
| Joseph Kloska | Suzy's friend |
| Sylvestra Le Touzel | Heather |
| Elliot Cowan | Bookseller |
| Nonso Anozie | Ezra |
| Trevor Cooper | Patient |
| Philip Arditti | Flamenco Student |
| Tim Glanfield | Man in Pub |
| Mike Leigh |
7.20 out of 10 (1734 votes)
Visitor Reviews
traumedy
posted on 18 Aug 2009This is a startlingly rich character study which is basically about the different ways in which people deal with everyday trauma. In my experience Mike Leigh is at his best when he's dealing with extremes, and here he scores with an extreme nobody even considered dramatizing before - Sally Hawkins' Poppy is the most well-balanced human being imaginable. Right at the outset, after a few minutes mercilessly challenging a bookstore clerk's aloofness, her clearly beloved bike gets stolen; she mourns for about five seconds, then shrugs and goes dancing. You'd think this pitch of imperturbability would rob the film of opportunities for, you know, conflict, the stuff of drama; but really, where in 21st century urban life could events NOT come into conflict with such a sunny outlook? So the question becomes, what does it take to crack the veneer, and what happens then? The answer finally comes in the form of a driving instructor who is as close to her opposite number as it is possible to be, a guy who's so used to internalizing traumas that he makes them up if he has to. Hint: the world does not end. This is my idea of an 'educational' movie, almost a course in living life. It stays with you.
Stunning movie
posted on 16 Aug 2009Mike Leigh is not the most prolific director. On average he makes a movie every two years . If i was a religious person i would say Hallelujah to that. There is a lot to be said for the saying " Quality not Quantity". and there are many directors who should who would do good to take note of that saying.Thirty-year-old teacher Poppy always has a smile on her face, and does her best to brighten the days of those around her by making small talk and cracking jokes. For the past ten years, Poppy has lived with her best friend, Zoe , a fellow teacher whose wry outlook on life serves as the perfect counterbalance to Poppy's effervescent charm.One day, Poppy decides that it's time to take driving lessons and enrolls in the Axle School of Motoring. Almost instantly, Poppy and her stressed-out instructor, Scott , clash. Still, it seems that there's more to this relationship than surface appearances would suggest. After accompanying her colleague Heather to a tango class taught by a particularly passionate instructor , Poppy connects with kindly school social worker Tim . Of course, Tim can't help but fall for a woman of such boundless compassion, but how will Poppy's increasingly jealous driving instructor react to the news of her most recent romance?I don't think there is a director around who can bring a character to life on the big screen like Mike Leigh. Who can forget Cynthia ( Brenda Blethyn) in Secrets & Lies or Vera Drake ( Imelda Staunton ) in the film of the same name.In Happy go lucky the main character is Poppy. At first an irritating woman. A woman who makes light of every situation. She has a constant happy grin on her face and nothing makes her angry. As the film progressed something strange happened . I went from being really irritated by Poppy to falling in love with her. Exactly what Mike Leigh set out to do. genius!If only i ( or my wife!) could have such an optimistic look on life as she does . If only i could see the good in people that she does, If only i could forgive the way she does.... If only. On the other hand there is Scott. Poppy's driving instructor, Scott ( Above). A more dodgy man you could not meet . Full of anger and the complete opposite to his pupil. Brilliantly played by Eddie Marsan, but despite his performance it will always be overshadowed by that of Sally Hawkins who plays Poppy. Poppy's persona brought to life because of the superb acting of Sally Hawkins. Rarely have i seen such a charming , delightful , adorably person as Poppy and all the credit for that goes to Hawkins Happy Go Lucky has been nominated for best Comedy or Musical ( I don't know why because it's neither) in the Golden Globes this year and Sally Hawkins has been nominated for best actress and can't think of a film that deserves those nominations more.9 out of 10
a funny and delightful comedy
posted on 08 Aug 2009Director Mike Leigh must have had a great time writing about this teacher using her sunny attitude as "weapon" against adversity of life and. Many reviewers have found that Sally Hawkins could be a bit the British equivalent of Anne Hathaway. In fact it's necessary to have a certain amount of charm to keep a character like Poppy from grating on the viewers and Hawkins has really a light enough touch. Underneath and overall the whole question is only how much one's attitude shapes one's life. In a different kind of film (noir or dramatic)Poppy's behavior could even prove irritating but with this sort of story it seems to work.
A sprightly and optimistic little film
posted on 08 Aug 2009If ever a film was wonderfully summarised in a title, it is Happy-Go-Lucky. Those five syllables perfect describe the light and breezy tone of this film, and quite possibly how you will feel as you leave the cinema. This is a movie that admirably celebrates optimism, which I for one found a nice relief in an age where even Hollywood blockbusters strive to be dark and cynical.At first, I didn't really think I was going to enjoy Happy-Go-Lucky. The opening few minutes have a couple of attempts at humour that fall rather flat: not really a positive sign in a comedy-drama. And then there is a sequence illustrating a stereotypical, painful night out: the drunken ramblings of a coven of irritating witches prove to be an instant turn-off that creates little sympathy towards Poppy, our chirpy protagonist.But luckily Happy-Go-Lucky is a slow burner: it just takes a little while to adjust to Poppy's world. It is Poppy (or Pauline) herself that will likely begin to conjure up some goodwill. Her cheery, often illogical optimism is a difficult trait to pull off, but Sally Hawkins gives a truly exceptional performance. Poppy is an oddity in London: a woman who has decided to be endlessly upbeat in a city of dreariness and unfriendliness. Her primary coloured clothes are in sharp contrast to the grey, apathetic streets and people around her, while her constant attempts at light humour and banter are often dismissed by those she tries to cheer up. Admittedly, she does often come across as annoying and excessive, but this simply strengthens her character: she is a solid mix of likable quirks and annoying habits. Her good-will even in the most difficult of situations (one sequence where she attempts to talk to a homeless drunkard sticks out) becomes endearing, and you may well find yourself cheering her on sooner than expected. She is a multi-layered character: her motivations admirable, her outlook likable. Most importantly she is a very strong, independent person who is entirely happy with her life, and the character is more than capable of holding the film together. Hawkins' portrayal works brilliantly, and her performance is one of the most charming and memorable in quite some time.Poppy holds the story together, and it is a great relief that her character is so compelling, as the narrative relies on her completely. Indeed, the 'story' is almost non-existent, and is simply a few chapters in the day to day life of our protagonist. The film simply comprises of a number of vignettes in Poppy's life. It documents her day-to-day encounters: dealing with a troubled boy in the class she teaches, her bizarre dancing lessons, her sojourns with an intense driving instructor. More than anything, these mini-tales try and portray the way in which Poppy tries to retain her optimism in the face of an often bleak reality. Perhaps the central story is the one focusing on her driving lessons with a racist, emotionally fragile instructor. These Saturday excursions are the best examples of the film's thematic concerns: the difficulty of remaining optimistic in a pessimistic world. While Poppy's refusal to drop her friendly mannerisms often put her at risk, ultimately her cheery attitude keeps her safe and wins over the many other characters she encounters. Director Mike Leigh seemingly urges the audience to try and be friendly in an increasingly unfriendly world through his sympathetic portrayal of Polly, which seems to me to be an entirely refreshing moral! There are dark hints throughout the film: there are subtle references to child abuse, alcoholism, obsession and other bleak issues. But these are an integral part of the film that reinforce the general happy mood. The cinematography reinforces this – often quite subtle, it makes terrific use of colour to give Poppy a central presence. Her multi-coloured clothing and her flatmate's yellow car make her stand out instantly. It is also quite a funny little movie when it wants to be: the humour is quirky and offbeat, but Leigh will likely succeed in making you laugh through his bizarre characters and situations. Driving instructor Scott's repeated refrain of Enraha is a great running joke, while the sometimes ridiculous mannerisms of Poppy are often good for a chuckle.There are one or two issues that should be raised. Some of the sequences seem a little redundant: in particular a final-act romance that seems somewhat surplus to requirements (although it is thankfully brief). The ancillary characters sometimes seem to lack depth: Poppy's younger sister in particular. And the previously mentioned weak start is an obstacle that has to be overcome to reveal the real depth and subtlety the film has to offer.Happy-Go-Lucky is a sprightly little film that is a truly uplifting experience. True a fantastically realised lead character, it has a lot to say about the increasing depersonalisation of contemporary society. The messages are subtle and careful, despite the excessiveness of Poppy. The film is far deeper than appearances may suggest, and while it is a very enjoyable two hours, it also lends itself to more detail examination. Catch this in the right mood and Happy-Go-Lucky's big heart (symbolised by Poppy's necklace) may just win you over.
Happy-Go-Lucky is Anything But *
posted on 06 Aug 2009Disappointing Mike Leigh venture with Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins as a British schoolteacher full of life. The problem with this film is that Hawkins comes off as a silly goose in many scenes with the most obnoxious laugh imaginable. This inane quality affects what could have been a reasonably good performance.After her bicycle is stolen, our heroine takes driving lessons from an instructor, Ed Marstan, who is just the opposite of her. A bitter vetch, angry with life, and as obnoxious as ever, Marstan does deliver an unusually good performance in a poorly written film. The final scene where his jealousy comes out is most memorable.What's with the Spanish dance instructor who injects her private life during lessons? This could have been quite funny had it been allowed to play out. Speaking of playing out, what about the young boy in Ms. Hawkins' class who is being physically abused by his mother's boyfriend? This topic is just glossed over and we only see this as an opportunity for Hawkins to become romantically involved with the school social worker.
I Loved Spending Time with Poppy
posted on 25 Jul 2009Another wonderful character study from Mike Leigh.Sally Hawkins is giving one of the best performances of the year as Poppy, an inexhaustibly energetic 30-year old who giggles and goofs her way through life. When we first meet her, we wonder if she's not somewhat deranged. She pesters a book-store clerk into conversation even though he's clearly put off by her; when her bike is stolen, her first reaction is to lament the fact that she didn't get to say goodbye. But as the film develops, we see that there's much more to Poppy than her happy exterior reveals. She teaches grade school, and she's terrific at it, expertly handling a situation involving a young boy who's suffering abuse at home. She manages without bitterness to salvage a relationship with an uptight, suburban sister who harps on Polly for not being responsible enough. But the biggest revelation about Poppy's character comes from her interaction with Scott, a driving instructor who's probably the exact opposite of her. Vitriolic and angry, Scott sees conspiracy everywhere and spits out hateful generalizations willy-nilly. Played expertly by Eddie Marsan, the scenes between Scott and Poppy are some of the funniest in the film, until Scott turns abusive and Poppy is forced to drop her happy-go-lucky approach, and face down Scott in the film's most emotionally resonant moment.I always look to Mike Leigh films for excellent acting, and "Happy-Go-Lucky" does not disappoint. I haven't seen a performance as fresh and unique as Hawkins' for some time. She makes it clear that Poppy's ebullient attitude is achieved only by constant and hard work. The unhappiness of the world is lurking around every corner, and indeed, in one unsettling scene in which Poppy tries to engage a homeless man in conversation, Poppy seems every once in a while to be drawn to it. Various characters in the film try to explain Poppy's behavior. Scott accuses her of always needing to be the center of attention; her girlfriend claims that she wants to change the world. But to me, Poppy seems more motivated by the need simply to understand what makes unhappy people the way they are, and I was left wondering why everyone (the characters in the film, people I know in the real world, myself) feel the need to justify the happiness in others, as if it's either a scam or the result of some secret magic.The movie is as close to a feel good movie as Mike Leigh will probably ever get -- it's reminiscent in tone of his marvelous "Life Is Sweet." Every once in a while I see a film that actually makes me think differently about my own attitudes to life and the world, and this is one of them. Wouldn't the world be a better place if there were a few more Poppies in it? Grade: A+
It's not easy being you, is it?
posted on 23 Jul 2009I really loved Mike Leigh's Secrets and Lies, so I expected this Oscar and Golden Globe nominated film would be equally good. I was not disappointed.Sally Hawkins got a Golden Globe for her performance along with a shelf full of other awards. She played a girl (Poppy) so happy she even smiled at her bike being stolen. Well, her positive manner certainly comes in handy as a primary schoolteacher. Her classes are fun! She decided not to replace her bike, but to learn to drive. Eddie Marsan was a riot as the driving instructor. He had his work cut out for him. His mood worse and worse as the weeks went on. He certainly had problems relating to others.Karina Fernandez as the flamenco teacher also had her work cut out for her. She was so passionate and hilarious.Poppy tried to stay happy, but she was constantly coming up against negative forces. Still, she carried on. She may seem overly flighty at times, but there is a deepness there as shows with the little boy, with the homeless man, and with her efforts to change Scott (Marsan) Leigh hits another home run, and Hawkins is a thrill.
an enjoyable if somewhat overrated British comedy
posted on 21 Jul 2009If Debbie Downer were bi-polar, her opposite half might well be peppy "Poppy," a perpetually upbeat thirty-year-old elementary school teacher whom no vicissitude of life could ever hope to faze. Poppy seems utterly impervious to either hard times or bad news as she giggles and chortles her way around London, going to work, hanging out with her buddies, or taking driving lessons from a stuffy, humorless instructor who may be developing a more-than-professional interest in his client.In terms of structure, Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky" has an aimlessness and a formlessness that is both the movie's greatest asset and its most problematic weakness. This approach does make the story feel less contrived and more realistic, but it also robs the movie of some of the cohesion, drama and emotional power it might have had had it been more formally designed.In a similar way, Sally Hawkins has been assigned the extraordinarily difficult task of bringing an aura of likability to a character who, if you met her in real life, would probably drive you straight over the edge after a mere five minutes in her presence. Luckily, Hawkins is largely successful in toning down at least some of Poppy's more egregiously irritating mannerisms, and in the rare moments when the character is allowed to actually behave like an honest-to-God grownup woman, Hawkins wins us over completely. Eddie Marsan also scores big as the rage-filled, uptight driving instructor who, in a wonderfully explosive scene that is the verbal equivalent of a slap in the face, finally confronts Poppy with a few unattractive truths about herself.It's nice to come across a character who isn't all depressed and angst-ridden about life for a change, and Poppy certainly seems to have found a niche in the world that works for her. That's a rare enough thing in movies these days to make "Happy-Go-Lucky," flaws and all, worth checking out.
the poppy is only a 24 hour flower and like the flower, this movie quickly fades
posted on 17 Jul 2009I have to admit, the first time I tried to watch this I turned it off 10 minutes in after the gross and incomprehensible scene with the soused friends, 3 nipples, and fake breasts as chicken filets that made their debut after dancing all night in their owner's bra. The next day, however, I decided to give it another go and turned it back on. I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I'd like to think that the main character is a good person. But on the other hand, I am a realist and I know without a doubt that if a guy had behaved as she had and made the lewd comments that she did, he'd be out on his rear and possibly sued for verbal sexual harassment. There would be no hidden glory to his charms, he would be seen as a rogue, a sexual predator. Can you even imagine if the Poppy character had been a guy and the driving instructor a female? There would be no sympathy. Yet here we have Poppy (the 24 hour flower) making sexual jokes, lewd and unseemly sexual jokes (calling the driving instructor a gigolo repeatedly, mentioning a pubic pyramid and shouting "Bang on!") knowing all the while that it makes the driving instructor uncomfortable. She enjoys this immensely, but is that justification? I don't think so. Yes, the instructor was a few cards short of a deck but that's no excuse to harangue him. He needed medical help not sexual innuendo. I'm sorry but I just didn't really care for the main character. Apparently she can show tremendous compassion for a man who already went over the edge (the tramp), but for the ones who are not yet there, she does her best to help them over the cliff to total insanity. I believe I understand what the film was trying to get across but did anyone involved in making this not see the hypocrisy...the double standard? She is not a likable character.
A cheerful film with an underlying vein of tragedy
posted on 11 Jul 2009Happy-Go-Lucky has been reviewed in the British press as a relatively lightweight Mike Leigh movie, but I'm not so sure. The story revolves around Sally Hawkins' remarkable performance as primary school teacher Poppy Cross, a highly unusual character in that Hawkins and Leigh between them manage to make her consistently cheerful and optimistic without being either naive or irritating. Poppy is presented as both relentlessly cheery and, on another level, remarkably intuitive; throughout the film, she has a series of encounters with troubled male figures (a boy in her class who has started bullying, a very strange homeless Irishman and, above all, her phenomenally uptight driving instructor Scott) and in all of them, Poppy's liveliness and friendly curiosity about other people is seen to be a powerful counter to male self-pity, anger and despair.Hawkins' character is not someone who is inclined to let life get her down, so it's just as well that she is surrounded by people with a somewhat more sardonic or downbeat take on reality. Her flatmate Zoe (Alexis Zegerman, very good) is a wonderfully dry and sarky counter to Poppy's enthusiasm, although the affection between them is palpable. Poppy's younger sisters Suzy and Helen are also quite different; Suzy is a law student who is more interested in clubbing, drinking and playing with her brother-in-law's Playstation than in criminal justice, while Helen is heavily pregnant, obsessed with acquiring the trappings of a respectable suburban life and unable to understand how her older sister can be so happy living in a rented flat and not stepping onto the property ladder.The big surprise for me is that I had been led to believe that this is a more or less straightforward feelgood film. It isn't. Scott, Poppy's driving teacher (Eddie Marsan), is the most affecting character in it, and one of the greatest and most unforgettable characters in Leigh's oeuvre. Most of the reviews I've read of the film depict Scott as a hateful, sinister or otherwise despicable character, but although it's true that he is an uptight, judgmental, angry bigot, it is also perfectly clear from his first appearance that he doesn't know what he's talking about and that he is driven by emotional problems that he hasn't even begun to get a handle on. Marsan's extraordinary performance is one of the best things I've seen on film for a long time. Scott has been afflicted with very bad teeth and a mild speech defect (he can't really say the letter 'r') and although his inner anger and bigotry is played for laughs for a lot of the film, in the end it is allowed to blossom forth in a riveting scene where his fury, jealousy and terror of his own darkness spill forth in a heartbreaking and riveting torrent. If part of the point of art is to help us to understand people we would otherwise have little sympathy with, then this film is a work of art. I've never seen Marsan before but he deserves awards for this movie, no question.Happy-Go-Lucky is a highly enjoyable and often very funny film, but it also carries terrible sadness. I have never been a massive fan of Mike Leigh, but lately I have to admit that I was wrong. He just seems to get better and better.
Eastenders with a heart
posted on 07 Jul 2009If you have ever watched the BBC soap opera 'Eastenders' and wished that the cast included someone who was perennially happy and optimistic who would cheer up all those gloomy moaning Londoners, then you should definitely watch this film. The central character, Poppy (a 30 year old primary school teacher with a fondness for primary colours) is just such a ray of eternal sunshine, and the film looks at the effect her optimism has on the people who are part of her life (and, eventually, how they affect her). It's a light comedy; I never found the situations funny enough to make me laugh out loud, but many other people in the cinema did. It's a character film rather than an action/events film ... Poppy goes through a series of realistic everyday situations interacting with people. In fact, perhaps the key to this film is that it is both realistic, with ordinary people in ordinary situations in ordinary surroundings (inner London), and yet hopeful, unlike so many 'reality' films.(Actually, the film is unrealistic in one respect. There's never any rain ;->)
Evil, evil, evil
posted on 05 Jul 2009This is not a good film. Never before have I had felt strongly enough to rate a film. Some films I love - the Phantom Menace - well, no, but there are good films. All of them in comparison with this.Plan 9 from outer space is better, and that's just awful.Even trying to read a book while my partner watched it was bad. Constant mindless chatter. Grrrr! I probably should say something positive about it - it was a very realistic likeness of some girls I know in London. All great girls - nice, pretty, half mad... (which is good) But what is not, is to sit in a darkened room and listen to their chatter for an hour and a half.
A contrary view
posted on 29 Jun 2009I went to this movie against my better judgement, in the hope that Mike Leigh and his band of luvvies had managed to make something digestible for the general public. And in fact, I don't think this is a bad film, and I am not surprised at the favourable reviews.But - and that's a big but - while many commentators say they went to this film expecting to be irritated by it, and ended up enjoying it, I found the reverse effect.Poppy is a happy and optimistic person, uplifting to behold, but also incredibly naive. It is as if her happy personality is sufficient defence against the fact that she tips over the edge half the people around her.I felt immense sympathy for Scott, played brilliantly by Eddie Marsan, who is one of those disturbed people - with a background and childhood we can only guess at - who are able, just, to live within society. But like a dripping tap, Poppy wilfully pushes him bit by bit, with no understanding of him at all, until he explodes. It's as if the bubble of happiness that she lives in is justification for the hurt she wreaks on others. Scott is not a likable character. But until he met this idiot woman, he was able to function without causing any harm.Furthermore, Poppy goes into a dark building, again in her happy bubble, to be confronted by a tramp. I sat there thinking, "You stupid woman, why on earth did you go there?". Frankly, if she'd been beaten to a pulp, I would have cheered.
Happy and lucky
posted on 29 Jun 2009Well some people seem to be happy about anything. Some people seem to try to hate everything. Well let's say, if you like your movies to be dramatic and more let's say realistically, then this isn't really for you.There is a part, the driving instructor, you might have seen the guy playing him in a few movies, lastly it was Hancock, that counters the main character, but it doesn't really help let's say for people who look into major character development (issues). This movie does not work like that. But that's not the main point here. The movie is meant to entertain, to be light and funny (mostly, of course there is the occasional exception).One thing that you should be aware of, the movie is mostly fast talking and if you're not British and watch it in it's original language, than you might have some problems getting every little joke or follow to the last word ... I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it nevertheless (if you let yourself and don't restrain your feelings like some people/characters ...)
Another Excellent Mike Leigh Vignette
posted on 29 Jun 2009In this latest movie from Mike Leigh we are introduced to the very sweet Poppy. Poppy is a teacher, a good laugh, a bit of a loon and a really annoying person all rolled into one but try as you might you won't hold that against her. She is an unexpectedly cute cross between Michaela Strachan and Frank Spencer. Thankfully, there's no beret but there are plenty of knockabout gags which, when coupled with Poppy's infectious giggling and quick asides, had the audience laughing along quite genuinely. Characters come and go throughout the movie with an especially good performance from Stanley Townsend, but it's Eddie Marsan who gives the stand out performance in the movie with his darkly obsessive narratives and non sequiturs which expose his sinister persona. The rest of the cast are also splendid, they all fit in just right to make this a very watchable and enjoyable movie. Even the two dimensional characters have good aspects for which they are easily forgiven. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending people to this movie, my only complaint being that it was over too soon. I could have watched how the characters developed for another day or two and I guess that's down to the fascination with the ordinary which Mike Leigh builds into his films.
Birds of a feather, make transgressive owl masks together
posted on 27 Jun 2009Poppy(Sally Hawkins) is an enigma. For the past ten years, this hopeless optimist has been living with another woman; she and Zoe(Alexis Zegerman), schoolteachers both, are just friends, but since a film doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's hard to ignore the closeted schoolteachers played by Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine in William Wyler's "The Children's Hour". For ten years, both women have shared the same bed. The audience learns about their sleeping arrangements after Poppy's encounter with a homeless man. Poppy enters the bedroom while Zoe is under the covers with a paperback copy of "Hideous Kinky", the autobiographical novel by Esther Freud(great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud). When Zoe asks, "Where have all the good men gone?" the age-old question posed by lonely women everywhere, is made queer by the film's allusion to Freud, which renders her question as a hypothetical one, or to be more precise, renders the question as a Freudian slip, triggered perhaps by an anxiety towards sex. Neither woman is particularly aggressive about landing a husband. Before a colleague suggests flamenco dancing to Poppy, the schoolteacher's sole extracurricular activity appears to be trampolining, a hobby that doesn't seem particularly inductive to meeting men. In presenting the relationship between the two women, the filmmaker meters out information, as if to provide the audience with small shocks. Zoe is established as Poppy's friend before we learn that she's also the main character's colleague. In one scene, the two schoolteachers prepare bird masks, paper bag owls, which they wear, as a trial run for an arts and crafts assignment they're planning the next day in class. "Bird", slang for "woman" in the U.K.(the American equivalent of "chick"), complicates the masquerade; their lesson plan, suddenly pregnant with latent meaning. Later in the film, Poppy visits her younger sister, married with a bun in the oven, who chastises big sis for her reluctance to settle down. That's when we learn about the duration of the single women's cohabitation together. Ten years is an awful long time for mere roommates. That's practically a common-law marriage. In rebuttal to Poppy's sister concerning the issue about not owning property, Zoe refers to themselves as "we", which implies something else entirely from "Poppy and I".Regardless of Poppy's sexual orientation, the fact remains that some man in her life caused this manic woman a good deal of pain. When the chiropractor(a male chiropractor) treats Poppy's back, in a scene that peels away some layers of her seemingly happy disposition, the relentlessly upbeat woman smiles and laughs in correspondence with the pain her treatment causes. As they say, we laugh so we don't cry. But finally, at long last, Poppy's fortunes seem to be turning around. The happy-go-lucky woman has two potential suitors to choose from, two men. Scott(Eddie Marsan), her misanthropic driving instructor, in a mainstream film with a filmmaker who had a mainstream sensibility, would have been the man Poppy falls in love with. But "Happy-Go-Lucky" is not a crowd-pleaser. Poppy ends up with Tim(Samuel Roukin), a social worker she meets at the school. When he gives the schoolteacher his phone number, she looks around her immediate vicinity for potential witnesses. Zoe, perhaps? Is Poppy afraid of hurting Zoe? Poppy remains an enigma to the end. In a motel room, the filmmaker cuts away from the couple before the film can earn a harder "R". The love scene is interrupted before Poppy removes her bra. This way, we never really get to know her, intimately. What does she say during their post-coital talk? After this encounter, she dresses more conservatively; her visage, which once conveyed nothing but joy and optimism, has now been replaced by a more behaviorally neutral one. Is Poppy now content, therefore, has no need to overcompensate for her loveless existence, or is she finally, truly sad? In the final scene, Tim is nowhere in sight. "Happy-Go-Lucky" ends with two schoolteachers in a rowboat. Even though one woman has a boyfriend, they're quite pointedly, in the same boat.
Not my cup of tea
posted on 21 Jun 2009About the aspects of handcraft in this movie I can't say much negative. It's photography is fitting, the mood is well adapted by the shots, all actors do a great job and the background works at all time. I just can't appreciate the story. There is no tension or a real drive through the events. The only conflict is between Scott and Poppy, but it's handled so briefly and lightly just like any other event in the movie. Nothing seems to matter. And so this flick doesn't matter to me either. I was bored throughout.But I can see how people can enjoy the very images that made me yawn. It's a fine piece. Just not for me.
An irritating and shallow twit, not "Happy Go Lucky"
posted on 21 Jun 2009I'm clearly out of it if Poppy is what passes for "happy go lucky" in the western world today. Yikes! A very little of her goes a very long way. The girl just will NOT shut up, even for a minute. She babbles constantly, always with what is the screenwriter intended as a glib, funny, flip comment, but it's just shallow, meaningless space filler. Sad actually, that she had no more than this work with. Her character's lines are not witty or trenchant or pithy - they're just noise to keep silence from descending for more than three seconds at a time in this movie. Her rattletrap dialogue was so irritating and constant, and her silliness so inappropriate and out of place that I actually felt terribly sorry for her driving instructor, as angry, emotionally damaged and prejudiced as he was.Poppy is supposed to be the stable character and the driving instructor the sad, emotionally damaged person in need of love. But she's not really all that together herself. She could use some help to shut the hell up for at least a few seconds in every conversation she has, if only to give someone else a chance. In real life her friends, if she still had any, would have told her this a long, long time ago.I won't be finishing this one.
Variations on the theme of happiness
posted on 09 Jun 2009Vera Drake (Mike Leigh's last, highly acclaimed film, 2004) was about a doddering, naive granny who bustled around, eternally smiling, boiling water for tea while performing crude abortions in post-war England. The war had left a destructive wake and culture was in the shitter, but Vera bumbled from door to door, doing her small bit to help others, seemingly oblivious to the misery around her and her sometime role in causing it.Happy-Go-Lucky is a twenty-first century take on the same character, with all the drab melancholia and blubbering replaced by bright costumes, improvisational comedy, and giddy laughter. Sally Hawkins is Poppy, a vivacious primary school teacher who wears vibrant blouses and high heeled boots. She maintains close relationships with coworkers, siblings, and old friends (such as roommate Zoe, played by promising newcomer Alexis Zegerman), and amiably chats up anyone who happens to make eye contact with her--something not always welcomed by the strangers she passes. The intrusive loquaciousness is grating at first, and one can easily identify with the stolid book store clerk who ignores her offhand jokes and small compliments until she asks if he's having a bad day and he blusteringly denies it. Why behave so miserably and coldly without any reason? When her bike is stolen early on, she doesn't mope or swear or fling her belongings violently against the sidewalk. She's peeved, yes, but she also smiles with doggonnit consolation, remarking, "I didn't even get to say goodbye." It's an acceptance of misfortune that's not self-blinding or obnoxious. She doesn't paint it up in wallpaper and pretend that it's some mysterious, positive turn of events; God isn't slamming a door and opening a window, in other words. Instead, it's just something that happens and she moves on cheerfully, refusing to let it bring her down. Why add insult to injury? Happy-Go-Lucky is a two-hour snapshot of various people dealing with daily miseries, an exploration of how various people navigate quotidian ups and downs. Variations on the Theme of Happiness, it could be called. With her school principal Heather (Sylvestra Le Touzel) she attends a fitness workshop on flamenco dancing where the vibrant, Castilian instructor explains gypsy opposition to oppression through assertive movements, bold statements, and personal space. An overweight dancer in the background stamps, claps, and smiles; she seems positively empowered. Throughout the film, Poppy utilizes the tools at her disposal to make the best of shaky situations. She drinks but has no drinking problem. She longs for sexual companionship but doesn't mourn its absence. When she catches one of her students bullying another, she doesn't jump to punish the offender but instead takes steps to solve the underlying problems, seeing violence within its cycle instead of within a vacuum, recruiting a pleasant social worker to investigate.Maybe it's all a little simple sometimes--sometimes kids, and people, are just bullies and jerks for extremely complicated reasons or no reason at all, and no amount of investigation into their background could perhaps change that--as in the case of Scott, the foul-teethed, earringed driving instructor that Poppy hires when her bike is stolen, figuring there's no better time to finally get a license. He's a complicated mess--racist, committed, principled, uptight, and paranoid--and when Poppy tries to pry out details of his childhood in order to better understand him--"Were you bullied, Scott?"--it all seems incredibly naive. The man spouts out declarations about demon mythology, mixes spittle with racist invective while fuming about multiculturalism, and cites the dimensions of the Washington Monument as proof of a global conspiracy. No revelations about abusive dads or schoolyard bullies could possibly defuse the thirty years of septic contaminants that have fueled his life and worldview.But here's the point: Poppy is no expert of human behavior; she's only a champion of her own. When the situation with Scott reaches a violent breaking point, she moves swiftly and assertively to protect herself. Unlike Vera Drake, she isn't a blind lamb whistling her way to the slaughterhouse. With crisis averted she concerns herself less with revenge and punishment (calling the police certainly wouldn't solve anything, she explains) and more with increasing the peace. Merely by retaining her calm demeanor and happy outlook she has won.Other characters and scenes flesh out other aspects of the happiness problem. A mammoth, tranquil chiropractor soothes away physical discomfort. A younger sister admittedly takes the easy path--suburbs, garden, house, husband, baby, retirement package--while jealously fearing that her wayward older sis might actually be happier. But much of the film is essentially aimless and irrelevant. Leigh's films don't utilize screenplays; his (always fantastic, often Oscar-nominated) actors improvise several versions of intended scenes and he splices together the best bits. So while the banter is always clever, spontaneous, and realistic, it isn't always focused or philosophically meaningful.Happy-Go-Lucky is much lighter fare than Mike Leigh usually serves up, which is perhaps why it's more successful than the last few films. It offers a palatable and positive, light-handed message, that happiness can be a powerful agent, explosive, self-fueling, contagious, and of limitless supply, that it needn't be the weak, fragile substance we're so often willing to make it seem.
will split opinions
posted on 28 Aug 2009I'm someone who is smiling, most of the time I'm awake (I don't know about the time I sleep), so I thought I really will like this movie. There were many people telling me how wonderful this movie is (I work in a DVD rental so I get many comments on almost every movie). The movie also got a silver bear in the last Berlinale (Berlin Film festival). So maybe my expectations were too high as I started watching this. Usually I don't quit a movie after the end credits. Sorry to say I could not stand longer than 30 to 40 minutes and I tried to watch it two times.I can't stand the actors voice (the German voice), which it really hard to follow the (flat) dialogue (I heard from British people it's the same in the original version). In my job I meet many people, most of them friendly and charismatic. In this movie the characters are in my opinion very one dimensional, insensitive (Poppy) and boring to watch.For example in the first scene Poppy goes into a book shop, talks to the guy working there (a monologue) and while leaving the book shop giving a rude/in her eyes funny comment. That showing a lack of empathy of Poppy's character. I mean the guy is busy (looks like he got a lot of new books) and this talking to herself girl comes in and after he doesn't come to her realizing how special she is she leaves the shop leaving a rude comment. That's something kids do when they get no attention.Maybe I would have liked this movie, if I have seen it total, but (and that's the point and after reading some comments here it's not only for me) it was too hard for me to watch it. I did it through the real bad "Epic movie" and I have to say that "Happy-go-lucky" is not even bad. But I could not stand it.Due to the fact that this is not bad at all but I can't stand it and because I didn't finish watching it, I don't give it a rating