“Happy-Go-Lucky” is a character study about the irrepressible Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a woman whose optimistic view of life is so refreshing and so enjoyable that you’ll leave the theater feeling, well, happy. Writer/director Mike Leigh provides us with a slice of Poppy’s life: she teaches elementary school and obviously loves her job. She’s the eldest of three sisters, has no boyfriend, and has lived with her flat-mate for 10 years. Ever willing to experience new things, Poppy takes Flamenco dance lessons and learns how to drive. Scott (Eddie Marsan), Poppy’s driving instructor, is angry with life and, therefore, a challenge to Poppy, who tries to bring a little laughter to his bruised soul. And these scenes with Scott provide most of the laugh-out-loud humor in the film.
For some, Poppy’s boundless optimism might be irritating, but as the movie progresses, you see very clearly that Poppy has a generous heart and her exuberance is symptomatic of her caring about others. Sally Hawkins is wonderful as Poppy. She is the spark that brings “Happy-Go-Lucky” to life and the reason to see this movie. I can only hope that the Academy will recognize her performance with a nomination for Best Actress. 10/24/08
1 comment:
Excellent blog on "Happy-Go-Lucky". When I saw the film I said the the Writer/Director should be complemented on coming up with a new concept in movie making which made for a great story and a truly uplifting experience. I also think the the acting of Sally Hawkins was the high-light of the film, I can't imagine finding a better actress for this role. She was sensational.
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