Review of Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) by Kimberly E — 11 May 2009

This movie deserves all the praise it has received. Another well-crafted ensemble piece from Mike Leigh. Poppy, played brilliantly by Sally Hawkins and clearly a candidate for happiest person ever, lives her life with compassion and love for other people. She has a wicked sense of humor and a refuses to let life's harder bits keep her down.

The film centers on Poppy, but includes an incredible ensemble of characters with just as much life as she has. Alexis Zegerman as Poppy's flatmate and Eddie Marsan as Scott the driving instructor are particularly illuminating.

But this is not just a feel-good movie (though you'll probably have a smile on your face by the end), Leigh has a keen eye for showing us Poppy's quieter, more subdued and reflective moments. He throws her into fairly depressing and distressing situations and lets us see how she deals with them. By the end Poppy has learned and grown without compromising her "Happy-Go-Lucky" spirit. And it is truly a beautiful thing to behold.