Happy-Go-LuckyRated R
Running time: 1 hr 58 mins
Cast:
Sally Hawkins
Alexis Zegerman
Eddie Marsan
Critical Consensus:
**** out of *****
(94% Fresh Rating!)
Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:
****1/2 out of *****
The Premise:
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.
MY REVIEW
Happy-Go-Lucky may very well be the "happiest" film of 2008. I don't think any movie this year has put a genuine smile on my face like this one did. A few comedies have certainly made me laugh, but none of them were as warm and welcoming like this little charmer of a film. Happy-Go-Lucky certainly is one of the best films of 2008, and the funny thing is, is that's virtually a movie with no actual story. Basically a movie about nothing in particular.
What it is about, is a British schoolteacher who seems to see the good side of everything. She always has a smile on her face and she continually laughing things off. In the opening scene her bike is stolen and all she has to say is, "Oh no, I didn't get to say goodbye!" with a huge grin on her face...of course. We follow her the entire movie. We see her in her "flat life" with her "flat mate". We see her teaching her young students. We see her hit the night life. And probably the best parts of the film, we see her take driving lessons from a very angry man. Poppy, the woman, never for a moment strays off her course. Her goal is simple: infect the world with happiness even though she knows it's incredibly impossible. "Doesn't hurt to try" she says.
She walks through town spreading as much joy as she can, even though most people don't even respond. It's not a movie about a woman simply trying to cheer people up, it's a movie about a woman trying to show the world that happiness is a real thing even in very hard times. That smiles and laughs really are the best cure for a bad day. There is even a very touching scene where she comes across a crazy homeless man who just mumbles nonsense. She never once is frightened of this man. She warms up to him, she responds to his nonsensical mumbles and there is a moment where he understands her. Even though he doesn't smile, you know for that single moment he was truly happy.
Then there are the driving lessons. Poppy meets her polar opposite in Scott, a very bitter and angry instructor. He emotionally abuses her at times, and is constantly screaming but she never falters. But in Scott she meets the one person she really cannot cure with her smile. Hard as she tries, he just rejects it...at least on the outside. In the inside this guy feels a different emotion for Poppy which he to scared to come out and say. So even with no defined storyline, Happy-Go-Lucky has one of the most charming and inspiring screenplays of the year. It's just such a touching story.
The best part of this movie is the performances. Sally Hawkins (Vera Drake, Cassandra's Dream) plays Poppy. I agree with Roger Ebert when he says this has to be one of the most difficult performances to pull off. But Sally Hawkins pulls it off! She is absolutely delightful and incredibly charming as Poppy. This has to be one of the best females performances of this year. She has this amazing power to warm your heart and inspire you to do good things. Not a lot of performances are able to do that. Some consider her to be a bit annoying, well I say those are the people who are unhappy about a lot of things. When you find someone who is always happy and are bothered by it, then you clearly have some issues. Eddie Marsan (The Illusionist, Hancock) plays Scott the driving instructor. Marsan is freaking brilliant in this movie, no question about it. One of the finest supporting performances of the year because he really bounces of Hawkins superbly. He has a scene at the end that is as good as any performed scene I've seen this year where all his true emotions come out. It was a very sad and moving scene, because he made the character of Poppy vulnerable for a moment. Awesome performances!
I would urge anyone I know to see Happy-Go-Lucky! If you really want to be inspired just by joy, then see this film. It really has no other specific purpose other than to bring happiness to an audience, and boy oh boy does it do that!! Great film!
What it is about, is a British schoolteacher who seems to see the good side of everything. She always has a smile on her face and she continually laughing things off. In the opening scene her bike is stolen and all she has to say is, "Oh no, I didn't get to say goodbye!" with a huge grin on her face...of course. We follow her the entire movie. We see her in her "flat life" with her "flat mate". We see her teaching her young students. We see her hit the night life. And probably the best parts of the film, we see her take driving lessons from a very angry man. Poppy, the woman, never for a moment strays off her course. Her goal is simple: infect the world with happiness even though she knows it's incredibly impossible. "Doesn't hurt to try" she says.
She walks through town spreading as much joy as she can, even though most people don't even respond. It's not a movie about a woman simply trying to cheer people up, it's a movie about a woman trying to show the world that happiness is a real thing even in very hard times. That smiles and laughs really are the best cure for a bad day. There is even a very touching scene where she comes across a crazy homeless man who just mumbles nonsense. She never once is frightened of this man. She warms up to him, she responds to his nonsensical mumbles and there is a moment where he understands her. Even though he doesn't smile, you know for that single moment he was truly happy.
Then there are the driving lessons. Poppy meets her polar opposite in Scott, a very bitter and angry instructor. He emotionally abuses her at times, and is constantly screaming but she never falters. But in Scott she meets the one person she really cannot cure with her smile. Hard as she tries, he just rejects it...at least on the outside. In the inside this guy feels a different emotion for Poppy which he to scared to come out and say. So even with no defined storyline, Happy-Go-Lucky has one of the most charming and inspiring screenplays of the year. It's just such a touching story.
The best part of this movie is the performances. Sally Hawkins (Vera Drake, Cassandra's Dream) plays Poppy. I agree with Roger Ebert when he says this has to be one of the most difficult performances to pull off. But Sally Hawkins pulls it off! She is absolutely delightful and incredibly charming as Poppy. This has to be one of the best females performances of this year. She has this amazing power to warm your heart and inspire you to do good things. Not a lot of performances are able to do that. Some consider her to be a bit annoying, well I say those are the people who are unhappy about a lot of things. When you find someone who is always happy and are bothered by it, then you clearly have some issues. Eddie Marsan (The Illusionist, Hancock) plays Scott the driving instructor. Marsan is freaking brilliant in this movie, no question about it. One of the finest supporting performances of the year because he really bounces of Hawkins superbly. He has a scene at the end that is as good as any performed scene I've seen this year where all his true emotions come out. It was a very sad and moving scene, because he made the character of Poppy vulnerable for a moment. Awesome performances!
I would urge anyone I know to see Happy-Go-Lucky! If you really want to be inspired just by joy, then see this film. It really has no other specific purpose other than to bring happiness to an audience, and boy oh boy does it do that!! Great film!
*This is the 163rd new film I've seen and reviewed this year.
The best part of this movie is the performances. Sally Hawkins plays Poppy. In fact, Everyone is looking superb..
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