It's a powerful argument for optimism.
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10/31/08
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Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
92
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Reviews Counted:141
Fresh:130
Rotten:11
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: Mike Leigh's latest partially-improvised film is a light-hearted comedy with moments that bite, and features a brilliant star turn by Sally Hawkins.
Theatrical Release:Oct 10, 2008 Limited
Box Office: $3,494,485
Synopsis: In a shift away from his usual exploration of the dark and dreary, director Mike Leigh (VERA DRAKE) takes a lighter look at life with HAPPY-GO-LUCKY. The film chronicles the daily comings and... [More]
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman, Stanley Townsend
Director: Mike Leigh
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Reviews for Happy-Go-Lucky
I've never used this cliché in a review before, and God forbid I ever use it again, so pay close attention: Happy-Go-Lucky is the feel-good movie of the year.
10/31/08
Sally Hawkins, in a blinding, Oscar-worthy piece of acting so good you barely see it, plays Poppy, a perpetually upbeat elementary schoolteacher in London.
10/31/08
British director Mike Leigh has made the first great comedy for our new depression.
10/31/08
She is charming and funny, and her blithe, carefree spirit actually comes across as a legitimate way of dealing with life -- or, at the very least, as being better than some of the alternatives.
10/30/08
Leigh's creation is fixed and unchangeable, admirably optimistic as a person but completely unengaging as a movie character.
10/30/08
Mike Leigh, cockeyed optimist?
10/30/08
Leigh pushes the story in a more interesting direction, asking whether people find happiness or simply will it on themselves.
10/30/08
The intentions of this oddity are muddled, but the small portraits of ordinary people choosing their path through the daily range of depression and delight are fully alive.
10/28/08
Yes, Sally Hawkins does an amazing job, but she also plays a type of person that the majority of us can't stand. It's beyond Poppy's positive outlook.
10/28/08
I really thought I might really grow tired of her quickly, but by the end I had nothing but admiration.
10/26/08
The new Mike Leigh film, Happy-Go-Lucky, is a real pleasure, and besides being Leigh's most buoyantly comic feature it's a marvelous showcase for Sally Hawkins, who has worked twice before with the British writer-director.
10/24/08
Top CriticIt feels modest while you're watching it, but the more I think about it, the more I love it.
10/24/08
Happy-Go-Lucky doesn't provide many insights (even Poppy seems ultimately unsure about whether happiness can be a permanent condition), but it does provide a little joy -- and that's worth celebrating, at the movies and elsewhere.
10/24/08
This is a film to share with a friend or loved one; you'll have plenty to discuss and laugh about afterward.
10/24/08
There is something infectious and unique about Poppy's joy, and Leigh seems to have caught the bug. Poppy can't make everyone happy, but for many of us, she'll do all right.
10/24/08
A character study in the classic sense of the phrase, featuring a lead who will stick with you for days and weeks to come. It's easily one of the best movies of the year.
10/24/08
One of the best films of 2008 and one of the finest films to date from a man commonly regarded as one of the world's greatest filmmakers.
10/24/08
It's rather grim, the laughs are few, and the only lesson it teaches is that, for all its sins, Hollywood is much better at making this kind of life-affirming Pollyanna movie.
10/23/08
Absolutely extraordinary in its grounded optimism, Happy-Go-Lucky features an Oscar-worthy performance from Sally Hawkins that must not, cannot be ignored.
10/23/08
Latest News for Happy-Go-Lucky
May 20, 2009:
Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
The Golden Globe seems to have done Sally Hawkins well. After winning the award for her part in Mike Leigh's hilarious Happy-Go-Lucky, having her name attached to any project... More...
March 09, 2009:
RT on DVD: Rachel Getting Married, Milk Lead Super Fresh New Releases
Home video enthusiasts, prepare yourself for what may be the best week ever! This week you'll have to choose between Academy Award flicks Rachel Getting Married (Best Actress... More...
February 19, 2009:
Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
She was 13 when she made her big screen debut in Paul Andrew Williams' affecting drama London to Brighton, and drew stellar notices from critics as a young victim of child... More...
February 03, 2009:
RT Interview: Golden Globe Winner Sally Hawkins
After winning Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival, the Golden Globes, and a score of critics' circles for her ebullient performance in Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky,... More...
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