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

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. |

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Sally Hawkins	...	Poppy
Eddie Marsan	...	Scott
Alexis Zegerman	...	Zoe
Samuel Roukin	...	Tim
Karina Fernandez	...	Flamenco - Spanish Dance Teacher
Sinead Matthews	...	Alice
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Heather
Sarah Niles	...	Tash
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nonso Anozie	...	Ezra
Philip Arditti	...	Flamenco Student
Trevor Cooper	...	Patient
Elliot Cowan	...	Bookseller
Joseph Kloska	...	Suzy's friend
Jack MacGeachin	...	Nick
Oliver Maltman	...	Jamie
Caroline Martin	...	Helen
Kate O'Flynn	...	Suzy
Andrea Riseborough	...	Dawn
Rebekah Staton	...	Flamenco Student
Stanley Townsend	...	Tramp

Also Known As:

Untitled Mike Leigh Project (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

Germany:118 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

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

Filming Locations:

Camden, London, England, UK

Company:

Film4

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Poppy cycles South of the river over Blackfriars Bridge but gets off in postcode EC1 (shown on a road sign), which is north of the river. A minute later, when she walks into a shop, she's in SE1 -- which is where she should have ended up.

Quotes:

Poppy: Oh no there's a juggernaut, get down!

Plot less, clichéd and trite social-unrealism

I have never wanted to leave a cinema before in disgust, until I saw this film. Through social obligation I stayed until the end yet by the closing credits, was so worked up with anything OTHER than happy-go-lucky feelings that I ranted until the small hours at having been subjected to such a slice of turd. Leaving aside the fact that there was not even the slightest attempt at plot, I was left witnessing a supposed piece of social realism and character study into the most annoying caricature that has ever existed. I was getting so angry with her as she engaged in ridiculous dialogue with her stereotyped Eastender friends, littered with clichéd metaphors and pathetically overstated jabs at the education system, racism, family values and any other British political topic Leigh fancied dropping in, punctuated by THE most annoying inward sighs after every sentence - it was painful to watch. I really wanted to strangle her. I just could hear the cogs of Leigh's brain ticking as he wrote this trite dialogue, painfully acted out by a character that just would not exist in real life - if she does I never want to meet her. The only characters that brought half a smile were the flamenco teacher and driving instructor, the latter brilliantly acted out by Eddie Marsan and who demanded my interested for a brief moment towards the end of the film, but unfortunately these moments were not enough to save what felt like a bad night on TV at the best of times. If you want to see quirky social realism done well look to Shane Meadows; real political issues, Ken Loach...if you want to see horribly OTT stereotypes of English people that talk in a completely unbelievable clichés, then check out this film by Mike Leigh!