Happy Go Lucky Lighting Up Award Season

10 months ago 06th Jan 13:59

Every award season there is an unexpected little gem that has taken either cinemas or the festival circuit by storm last year it was Once and the year before Little Miss Sunshine but this time around all eyes are on Happy-Go-Lucky.

Mike Leigh's upbeat movie, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, made little impact when it was released in the UK last April but it has won over American audiences when it was released in October, and it seems that the critics loved it too.

Sally Hawkins stars as Poppy, an irrepressibly free-spirited school teacher who brings an infectious laugh and an unsinkable sense of optimism to every situation she encounters, offering us a touching, truthful and deeply life-affirming exploration of one of the most mysterious and often the most elusive of all human qualities: happiness.

Poppy's ability to maintain her perspective is tested as the story begins and her commuter bike is stolen. However, she enthusiastically signs up for driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), who turns out to be her nemesis... a fuming, uptight cynic.

As the tension of their weekly lessons builds, Poppy encounters even more challenges to her positive state of mind: a fiery flamenco instructor, her bitter pregnant sister, a troubled homeless man and a young bully in her class, not to mention that she has also thrown out her back.

How this affects not only Poppy's world view but also the outlook of those around her begs the question "glass half full or half empty"?

Coming as a surprise to many this little British movie, which has propelled newcomer Sally Hawkins to stardom, has dominated awards ceremonies so far on the run up to the Oscars next month.