I love Mike Leigh, and I like Sally Hawkins. I did find her character a little annoying at points, but that happiness is always going to end up being grounded by some real heavy hitting truths.
There was the angry preacher type character that you always find in Leigh. Scott played by Eddie Marsan is a kindred spirit with David Thewlis as Johnny in Naked. The anger was bubbling away throughout the whole film … it didn’t boil out in a philosophical treatise like with Johnny, but just all the emotions and feelings that had been bottled up. I felt for him — his failure to communicate, his assumptions — they all fell over each other as he finally tried to tell Poppy what he felt.
I like the chemistry between Poppy and Tim too — it feels genuine.
Leigh always meshes with some aspects of being British that really resonates for me — the heartache and the humour are essential. People don’t really complain, even when they are having a hard time of it — but they’ll occasionally pour their hearts out if they are given an opportunity. this made me think of Career Girls for its spirit. Not my favourite, but a good watch.