Happy-Go-Lucky - Movie Review

There is only so much giggling, bubbly, happy-go-lucky that any one person can stand. Add in the thick British accents and I believe I missed about half of the dialogue, mostly muted by the incessant effervescence. I know that makes me sound like Oscar the Grouch, but this film was tedious at times.

I am mildly familiar with Mike Leigh (who wrote and directed Happy-Go-Lucky) from his film Another Year. Leigh recognizes good talent and stocks his films with exceptional actors. This film showcases some talented cast members from Another Year as well as Made in Dagenham. I have liked several of these cast members in their other roles, even in films that I was not thoroughly impressed with.

Poppy (Sally Hawkins) has a bubbly personality. She is irritatingly happy-go-lucky. Surprisingly, she is a thirty-year-old elementary school teacher. Her seemingly carefree personality seems to contrast with her surprising effectiveness as a teacher. She lives with her long-time friend and fellow teacher, Zoe (Alexis Zegerman). The pair like to party with another friend, Dawn (Andrea Riseborough). They tool around town in Zoe's yellow beater Fiat.

At the beginning of our story, Poppy rides her bicycle in carefree "Flying Nun" fashion. When she discovers her bicycle has been stolen, she decides it is time to take driving lessons. She is paired with a driving instructor, Scott (Eddie Marsan), who has serious inferiority issues. Scott is a harsh instructor whose constant correction seems to cover his growing attachment to Poppy. When Scott discovers that Poppy has a love interest (Samuel Roukin) his emotions boil over in an angry tirade. Poppy's innocence seems momentarily shattered, but tentatively restored as she boats on a placid pond, sharing her experiences with her closest friend, Zoe.

Mike Leigh films don't necessarily tell a story. I like stories that have a beginning, middle and end. Leigh is drawn to character studies with banal dialogue and mundane daily interactions. His approach to film-making is subtle, possibly too subdued for my own taste. If you enjoy character studies without a real plot, then his films will appeal to you. I am less interested in this style of film, so I find myself struggling with the pacing and lack of substance. However, Leigh does draw interesting characters, in spite of their uneventful humdrum existence.

The highlight of Happy-Go-Lucky is the casting. I loved Hawkins in Made in Dagenham and more recently in The Shape of Water. She was the reason I rented this film. Hawkins is a talented actress who I will go out of my way to see in the future. She has a quiet on-screen presence that projects a silent power that I am impressed with. Marsan has an impressive resume of films under his belt. He possesses an awkward volatility that gives his character depth, yet evokes compassion from the audience. His skills had me off balance, alternately despising his character while feeling sorry for him. The pair were a great match for this type of character examination. They were surrounded by a field of professionals that added credibility to even some of the smallest roles (like Oliver Maltman in a near-cameo performance).

Happy-Go-Lucky earned an R rating for some fairly tame material. Language was a primary factor in the rating, although there was plenty of drinking and a couple of adult situations. Overall, the thematic material in this film felt more PG or PG-13 to my taste. I would not prevent any age from seeing this film. Younger viewers will be bored to tears more than anything. The film runs one hour and 58 minutes. Seemingly longer.

Happy-Go-Lucky is a strong character study. That factor, along with the performances will earn this film a mild recommendation. The lack of a plot and the irritating soundtrack (there is only so much of that after-school-special music any one person can tolerate) wore me down. I enjoyed watching the characters but was left feeling empty when the credits rolled. There were unresolved issues and very little action to feel like my two hour investment was worth it. If you enjoy this type of film, you may love, love, love it. It you like strong pacing and interesting plot twists, then this film will likely put you to sleep. Mildly recommended with 6.5/10.