Review of Another Year (2010) by Louis P — 24 Jan 2011

I'm sure I am not the only person here who has admired writer-director Mike Leigh for his ability to provide insights into the human condition. But recently he has been prone to exaggeration. At least with his previous film, "Happy-Go-Lucky," he had the performances and point of view to be successful. While his latest, "Another Year," is not bad, per se, it is another step backwards, taking broad shots at two disparate groups of people. Mary(Lesley Manville), a secretary, is somebody perhaps too familiar in her loneliness and alcoholism.(That's not the only reason why she should not have her own car, by the way.) But usually, somebody like this finds some outlet for their love, even if it is frowned upon like the ownership of cats.

Gerri(Ruth Sheen), a psychotherapist, and Tom(Jim Broadbent), an engineering geologist, belong to the other type, do-gooders. They accept Mary into their home, not out of love, but pity. She is not the only one as Ken(Peter Wight), also a big drinker, pays a visit in summer. But the couple does nothing to suggest either should stop their drinking. What is most striking about Gerri and Tom is how happy they are nearly all of the time. As strange as it is, it also seems to be genetic, passed on to their son Joe(Oliver Maltman), a solicitor and, at 30, still single, which freaks out his indigent clients. Like the circular notion of the calendar(the film is told in four segments, one for each season, comprising a couple of days), the do-gooders apparently feed off the misery of others, instead of wanting to make the world a better place through helping others.