Happy-Go-Lucky

Celebrated filmmaker Mike Leigh again embraces the essentially narrativeless exploits of a working class English protagonist; this time, a chirpy teacher named Poppy (Hawkins), who hops and skips her way through many a testing scenario. Whether it's a borderline psychotic driving instructor (Marsden), or a nonsensical hobo, she genuinely tries to bring a rainbow into the lives of the downtrodden. Leigh's films are fundamentally performance-driven, with his lead actor heavily involved in creating, and then expanding on their character. Happy-Go-Lucky's Poppy is no different in execution, but altogether opposite in terms of motivation. Sally Hawkins embodies the initially irksome Poppy with so much good natured vigour that it's nigh on impossible not to smile whilst in her company. Good thing it is, too, because anyone expecting a lot going on will be left waiting for exposition to kick in for the whole of its near-two hour running time. Hawkins has worked with Leigh on several occasions, in much darker fare like Vera Drake - here, he takes a 180 from his previous socially driven material, and focuses on how someone who simply gets on with things, reacts when life fires its many missiles at them. It's not all Poppy dealing with murky sorts and their issues, though - simply a snippet of a short period of her life that would appear to be the norm for her. From taking driving lessons with a militant loner that unravels with an edgy unpredictability, to meeting a soft-spoken counsellor who takes a shine to her as she cares for a troubled student, it's a downright pleasure to be in her company. 'Lucky' is another naturalistic triumph for Leigh, whose many admirers will embrace his slightly off-kilter new direction, and a stunning performance from Hawkins - who deservedly picked up the Best Actress award at Berlin this year.