Review of Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) by Michael S — 02 May 2014

Oh, Poppy. I've met people like you before, but not exactly. Mike Leigh knew to render you with just enough common sense to not come across as daft or inane. I've been stuck on the bus with the daft, been cornered by the inane, and felt that it was just borderline wrong to tell them off in the fashion I desired, for fear they wouldn't understand.

But I feel like I could tell you off if your ceaseless irrepressibility just wasn't my cup of tea on the day we happened to meet. You are a brave soul; one who I fear has been hurt before and will not let that stop her from trying to let the world in.

See, that is the difference between you and some other well-wishing gits I've met in the past. You don't necessarily want to change someone else. You don't go out of your way to come across blighted souls and give them a tap of sunshine on the shoulder, as would a heroine in a less perceptive, searching film would.

You only want to see clearly those around you, and hope they're doing the same to you. And hopefully they see in you an alternative to the mad world that makes no sense and keeps churning out pain.

Hopefully they take it with them.