High Hopes (1988)

Directed by Mike Leigh. Starring Phil Davis, Ruth Sheen, Philip Jackson, Heather Tobias, Lesley Manville, Edna Doré, David Bamber, Judith Scott, Jason Watkins. [PG]

Leisurely, working-class story, insightful and very regional in nature, observing the hard-knock lives of a sanguine couple and some of their family members, neighbors, acquaintances, etc. The seriocomic slice-of-life realism (“kitchen sink” with laughs?) is marked by social and economic divides between the characters, especially as it relates to Thatcherism. It’s a bitter herb, yet detailed with quirkiness, even earthy whimsy; free of movie stars (only Lesley Manville is likely to be recognized by anyone outside of the UK who doesn’t eagerly follow Mike Leigh’s work), the actors disappear so fully in their roles, it’s easy to start believing in the utter authenticity of each situation, no matter the transparency. Lacking a clear, forceful message or conventional beginning-middle-end plotting, the slack pace is a detriment, yet the improvisational approach (pseudo or otherwise) makes even the more caricature-esque edges of these strange souls feel natural. Leigh’s sophomore feature, made some seventeen years(!) after this first (Bleak Moments).

76/100