Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh (writer)

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The one movie this fall that will put a smile on your face.

Plot:

A look at a few chapters in the life of Poppy, a cheery, colorful, North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Flamenco | Driving | School | Happiness

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 20 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Sally Hawkins	...	Poppy
Elliot Cowan	...	Bookshop Assistant
Alexis Zegerman	...	Zoe
Andrea Riseborough	...	Dawn
Sinead Matthews	...	Alice (as Sinéad Matthews)
Kate O'Flynn	...	Suzy
Sarah Niles	...	Tash
Eddie Marsan	...	Scott
Joseph Kloska	...	Suzy's Boyfriend
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Heather
Anna Reynolds	...	Receptionist
Nonso Anozie	...	Ezra
Trevor Cooper	...	Patient
Karina Fernandez	...	Flamenco Teacher
Philip Arditti	...	Flamenco Student

Also Known As:

Untitled Mike Leigh Project (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Netherlands:12 | USA:R | Germany:6 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Hong Kong:IIA | France:U | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Finland:K-7 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:PG | Mexico:B | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Camden, London, England, UK

Company:

Film4

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At one point, Scott guesses Poppy's age and is - by several years - incorrect. Yet, as he is her driving instructor, he would have seen her provisional driving license (as we see when they first meet), which always has the pupil's date of birth on it.

Quotes:

Zoe: You can't make everyone happy.
Poppy: There's no harm in trying that Zoe, is there?

Movie Connections:

References Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (VG)

Soundtrack:

I'm So Excited

Wisdom, not naivety

Having read some critiques to the extent that this was a film about a naive, childish woman who refused to take life seriously, I was hesitant whether I'd be able to bear this movie.

Luckily, it turned out to be one of the most entertaining cinema experiences since quite a long time.

Poppy isn't the person refusing to become an adult which her misanthropic driving instructor Scott accuses her to be. Our time indeed seems to bring about such people but they could hardly be more different than this lovely young woman. The first scene, with the girls drunk and chatting nonsense, is perhaps a bit misleading on this issue. (In fact, several people left the cinema during this scene, seemingly annoyed of all the giggling.) Rather, Poppy is wise and strong, trying to see the positive in everyone and everything. Humour, and sometimes benign derision, are her ways of keeping sulkiness out of her life. But, as everyone with a heart should feel, that is a gift, not a deficit. What damage can it cause to have a nice word or a smile for your fellow humans? On the other hand, she doesn't shut her eyes on the sad sides of life, such as a traumatized homeless man or a boy beaten by his mother's new partner, and one understands that she is deeply sad about not being able to help Scott, even if she would have had every reason to simply hate him for his bad temper, his racism and his stalking.

The director has done a superb job with this production; it is packed with intelligent, witty dialogs and convincingly drawn characters.

Our world needs a lot more people like Poppy, or at least -- if they don't possess her strength and optimism -- people who are sympathetic with her values instead of feeling threatened by humaneness. Yes, life is difficult and often sad, so let's tackle it with a smile!