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 Happy-Go-Lucky 

What grade would you give this film?
A 58%  58%  [ 7 ]
B 25%  25%  [ 3 ]
C 8%  8%  [ 1 ]
D 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
F 8%  8%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 12

 Happy-Go-Lucky 
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Post Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky

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Happy-Go-Lucky is a 2008 British Comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. The screenplay focuses on a cheerful and optimistic primary-school teacher and her relationships with those around her. The film was well received by critics and resulted in a number of awards for Leigh, lead actress Sally Hawkins and supporting actor Eddie Marsan.

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Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:01 am
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Grill
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Wow. No one has seen this yet?

I had the privilege to see this movie last night at the Scottsdale Film Festival. (The only one I saw of the festival). I wasn't expecting much out of it. I had only see the trailer once a few weeks back. I decided to give it a watch and it was a great movie. Mike Leigh directed this movie perfectly. He was there last night for the Q&A and he is so awesome and calm and does not give a shit what you think. This movie was just a fun happy movie. You will be happy leaving this film. Sally Hawkins was perfect as Poppy and was just hilarious. Go out and see it, those who have not.

9/10

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Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:45 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Hopefully catching this tomorrow.


Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:00 am
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ef star star kay
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
One of the most memorable character I've seen this year, if not the most. Look back again, none of this should have worked, seriously. But it did, surprisingly and amazingly. Yes, Sally Hawkins was great. But the success should be given the credit to the excellent work combined from the actor and the script itself too. While Hawkins played it wonderfully, one of the most lively performance of the year, there was also the script that made this character so funny, interesting and not to come out a 2-dimension character (aka cartoonish), of which it could have been easily. I mean, a talky 30-something woman who smiles a lots, that sounds annoying already.

And not just a 'one great character film', Happy-Go-Lucky is hilarious, cheerful, it left me with a big smile on my face. That's not so hard, is it? Be happy. ;)

A

Oh I loved how it ends. It gave me the feeling that no matter how weird or crazy you are, there's always 'your someone' out there for you (or even matched with you).

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Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:34 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
ok, so I'm actually seeing this tomorrow (even though I said the same thing a month ago).


Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:45 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
It was really good, but I was in a bad as hell mood, and thus found it slightly annoying.


Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:31 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
snack wrote:
It was really good, but I was in a bad as hell mood, and thus found it slightly annoying.


Maybe that's why it bothered me as well.

Anyways, I saw it a few weeks ago and liked it, but it's far from the amazing film the reviews might suggest. Sally Hawkins is very good but by the end I found her to be kind of grating, and Eddie Marsan was fantastic. B


Sun Nov 09, 2008 11:49 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
I quite loved it. A note though, this is NOT a comedy. If anything it's an anti-comedy, as Poppy's happy, light, "comedy" exterior is slowly and slowly revealed as a shielding device by the end.

I'd relate it to Vicky Cristina Barcelona among movies this year, where the strength of it is in the layered and complex character work, with both having brilliant acting, writing, scores, and hell, open endings. Hawkins and Marsan both deserve nominations for sure, they killed it.

Leigh's work can't be praised enough here, for someone who works so much with improvisation, it's remarkable how composed the movie feels. Moments that wouldn't appear to lend themselves like the driving scenes, the flamanco part, Poppy on the trampoline, etc., are all flawlessly executed.

My only minor issues would be the first 20 minutes, which are kind of in 1st gear, and the bit with the bullied kid, I whispered a "oh noez... not the bullied kid segment, please!" bit when it came up, but luckily it doesn't spend *too* much time on it and it fits with Poppy's arc.

I'll probably write a mainsite review and go into it more there, but yea, absolutely one of the year's best.

5/5

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Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:17 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy I went to go see it, lucky even...

Lots of little truths embedded in a realistic little microcosm.

Who doesn't know a total pessimist like the driving instructor? Who doesn't know an unquenchable optimist like Poppy?

Their interaction was classic, and direct Mike Leigh didn't go half way with it - - very true, very unvarnished.

Still, the whole film didn't all come together as Leigh has shown himself so cabable of doing, so I can't say this one's out of the ballpark - - perhaps an inside-the-park homer...

8 out of 5.


Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:52 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
In reflecting upon my viewing of HGL last week, I got to thinking how nice it is to see a film with a character with the rare psychological condition of Pathological Happiness - - it is certainly a diagnosis frowned upon by our culture, where the far more common and much more accepted condition is Cynical Depression...


Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:04 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
This is a beautiful, beautiful movie.

I dunno, I feel like people that are calling it "endlessly joyful and upbeat" and things like that are kind of missing a very tangible melancholy that sort of slowly embeds itself into the movie. The more time we spend with Poppy, the more we see how some people just do not get her, and it ruins them and hurts them and confuses them. This is certainly not the lightweight love fest its been painted as.

But yeah, I think it's a beautifully composed, magical movie. I agree with loyal about Eddie Marsan. Yes, Sally Hawkins is marvelous and deserves all of her accolades, but I think Marsan is the one that really knocks it out.


Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:55 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
makeshift wrote:
I dunno, I feel like people that are calling it "endlessly joyful and upbeat" and things like that are kind of missing a very tangible melancholy that sort of slowly embeds itself into the movie.... This is certainly not the lightweight love fest its been painted as.

Which thread is that quote from? Who's painting it that way?

Reading back in this thread, I would say KJ "got" it. For example...
Shack wrote:
A note though, this is NOT a comedy. If anything it's an anti-comedy, as Poppy's happy, light, "comedy" exterior is slowly and slowly revealed as a shielding device by the end.


Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:52 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
god I hate myself


Last edited by snack on Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.



Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:05 am
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ef star star kay
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
don't look at me...

I called it 'cheerful' not endlessly joyful, nor lightweight love fest

:sleep:

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Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:32 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Yeah, I wasn't really referring to KJ in my post, but rather the myriad of critics at something like Rotten Tomatoes.


Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:56 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
I think describing Poppy's whole demeanor as a 'shielding device' or something similar is perhaps a bit reductive. It's easy to suggest that it's all a front. I think that's who she is to her very core; bright, perky, ready to face each day and each challenge with a smile and a laugh. Sometimes, we see, it can be hard, but she always comes through.

Her sister accuses of her of something akin to not wanting to grow up. Poppy's response is that she's enjoying herself. What more could she want? Indeed. Thank god Leigh doesn't pull a dramatic reversal out of his hat; in other movies, she would discover that her life is ultimately empty, whatever that means. But the movie is too smart for that. Poppy lives for pleasure, whether she gets it through learning a new skill or simply talking to people. She may be our most vibrant cinematic hedonist since Jeff Bridges stepped into The Dude's shoes.

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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
yoshue wrote:
I think describing Poppy's whole demeanor as a 'shielding device' or something similar is perhaps a bit reductive. It's easy to suggest that it's all a front. I think that's who she is to her very core; bright, perky, ready to face each day and each challenge with a smile and a laugh. Sometimes, we see, it can be hard, but she always comes through.



I'd agree with this, Poppy really is a case of what you see is what you get. There is no shielding aspects to her personality for me.

As for the film, utterly brilliant stuff. Yes its typical Leigh and the man never deviates to far from his own style but since that normally works out great there is no need to. The comedy aspect is completely natural, which is pretty common for British films I find, and the performances from all the cast never let me down.

Sally Hawkins is infectious and impossible not to like........unless you are a Tarantula with the head of Pol Pot in which case I worry for you! But the biggest surprise for me was Marsan in the driving instructor role. His last scene with Hawkins, Yikes!

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Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:36 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Fucking horrible. By far the most overrated movie of the year.


D+

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Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:03 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
makeshift wrote:
I dunno, I feel like people that are calling it "endlessly joyful and upbeat" and things like that are kind of missing a very tangible melancholy that sort of slowly embeds itself into the movie. The more time we spend with Poppy, the more we see how some people just do not get her, and it ruins them and hurts them and confuses them. This is certainly not the lightweight love fest its been painted as.


That's an excellent assessment, and I agree with it. It is mostly happy and has its share of funny moments, but the fact that Poppy's behavior does little to make the people around her visibly happier adds weight to the proceedings, and allows the last scene to work really well.

And yeah, Sally Hawkins is great here. There wasn't one scene that went by where I wasn't impressed with her work, and while she pulled off the bubbly side of the character, she also nailed the dramatic transition in the last scene with Eddie Marsan.

When I saw it a couple weeks ago, I gave it a B+, but I've come to think about it so much since then that I might bump it up to an A-. Either way, it's certainly worth checking out, and Hawkins deserves to go far in the awards season.

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Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:09 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky is a character study of Poppy, who is without a doubt one of the most sunny, bright-eyed characters in film history. There have been many films dealing with emotions and state of minds, but they typically revolve around unhappy characters. Instead, Mike Leigh explores the challenges of perpetual optimism and choosing to always see the glass half full. Sally Hawkins has rightfully been winning awards for her complex, dynamic performance; it takes an actress of great skill to make someone who never stops being happy like Poppy incredibly endearing rather than annoying. Poppy's interactions with creepy/sad driving instructor Scott (an excellent performance by Eddie Marsan) are obviously what gives Happy-Go-Lucky sort-of dramatic weight from its episodic plot. He represents the virtual antithesis of Poppy and, as others have said in this thread, it's interesting what Leigh is showing about the effect of unabashed happiness on those who struggle to even find anything to be happy about. A-


Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:58 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
I think the last scene with Poppy and Scott is my favorite scene in a film this year. Hawkins and Marsan totally deserve Oscar nominations.

One of my favorites of the year.


Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:15 pm
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
I easily could've hated this, but I really didn't. To my surprise, it manages to stay deep and meaningful amidst all the quirky goings-on, quite the opposite of Poppy herself. It's this conflict between light and dark - between Poppy and Scott, if you will - that really sealed it for me. Why can't more comedies be like this?

On top of that, it's also totally natural and believable, portraying real people in realsituations that never feels forced or contrived or acted. Because of this, it tackles some very genuine emotions and feelings. It's very funny, very sad, and very touching. A real winner in my book.

Hawkins and Marsan are both terrific, and are among the best performers of the year, but I also quite liked Alexis Zegerman as Poppy's roomate Zoe, the "tart to Poppy's sugar", as Manohla put it so brilliantly.

Really quite lovely.

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Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:52 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
9/10 -> A-

A wonderful movie. Poppy is the female character of the year and Sally was awesome. It was all too easy to identify with what was going on on screen. I loved it.


Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:02 am
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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
I hated this movie. I wanted to punch Sally Hawkins in the face.

4/10 (D+)

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Post Re: Happy-Go-Lucky
This is exactly the movie that I thought americans would eat up in a limited release with acclaim of it's "realism" but there is absolutely nothing real about Poppy nor Sally Hawkins' over-exasperated acting as her. Gasping deeply at the end of every sentence or just continuously exhaling does not a fine performance make.

That said her moments with the homeless guy and when her driving instructor finally explodes? Those are the best parts of the film. Really it was a decent enough movie but nothing here elevates it beyond that. Hawkins is over-rated in her OTT and vastly daft performance and to be honest it felt very trite to me at times.

Ironically i met Mike Leigh when i was doing UK promo for this movie and he signed a few copies of it for me, and he was anything but happy-go-lucky haha. My colleagues made a card with a girl who was leavings' face where Poppy's should be and scrawled it with obscenities, Mike Leigh asked to see it and wrote a comment saying "there's something wrong with your face" or something along those lines inside the card lol.

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