This is the latest Mike Leigh movie, which was very interesting and different from the little I’ve seen of his movies. I was used to his very deep and profound dramas, instead this is a very uplifting comedy with a meaningful ending.
There’s not much plot here, it all revolves around Poppy (Sally Hawkins), a girl who is always upbeat and smiling. We follow her during her everyday life, with her friends, on her job, while taking driving lessons. And no matter what she encounters, she always finds things to smile and laugh about.
Her attitude is so positive and different than anybody else’s, that at first I felt annoyed by her. But soon I realized that I was just not used to such a great way of living life. When her sister ask her is she’s happy, even though she is not married and doesn’t have a family, Poppy replies that she is happy, and I believe her. She might not have everything in life, but she’s happy.
The funniest scenes in the movie are with Eddie Marsan, the driving instructor. The constrast between him and Poppy brings to many funny lines and situations, so much that I will never forget his phrase “En-ra-ha”. But their relationship ends on a more dramatic note, which I thought showed us another side of Poppy.
An enjoyable movie with a great performance by Sally Hawkins. I was sad to see that she didn’t get an Oscar nomination.
Rating: 3.5 Stars