[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P97wbtckTEY[/youtube]
Awards Daily friendlies Nathaniel Rogers and Kris Tapley have been tuned in to Sally Hawkins and Happy-Go-Lucky for weeks. Today’s expanded announcement of the NYFF line-up finally pounded the film’s potential through my thick skull. Kris is betting on Happy-Go-Lucky for his newly minted “Juno slot“¬© (but let’s not hold that against it).
It’s a wonderful film, one that has actually grown on me since I saw it in April – witty, perceptive, melancholy, delicate, with the same eye towards class and familial tensions that marks all Leigh’s best work.
It is not in any shape or form an “indie comedy” in the Juno Sunshine mould – apart from the fact that, yes, it is independently made, and yes, it is rather funny.
On another note, anyone who calls Leigh’s body of work “depressing” or “lower-class dirge” (most of his work is focused on the middle classes, by the by) obviously hasn’t really watched his films – “Life is Sweet” and “High Hopes” share a generous comic spirit, while everyone seems to have forgotten just how funny “Naked” and “All Or Nothing” are. Of all his work, I would venture that only “Vera Drake” is straight-faced the whole way through. As I mentioned in my In Contention review, “Happy-Go-Lucky” is far more of a piece with Leigh’s oeuvre than the press it has received so far suggests.
True, Topsy-Turvy was different, but there’s still Vera Drake, Naked, All or Nothing, Secrets and Lies, and High Hopes. I get why people love his films but they just don’t do it for me (same with Ken Loach). I prefer British filmmakers who can offer me something visually like Derek Jarman or Peter Greenaway or recently Danny Boyle.
That said, David Thewlis is jaw-droppingly brilliant in Naked and should’ve won Best Actor that year, let alone nominated.
I´ve seen “Happy-Go-Lucky” a couple of weeks ago in a german cinema, and while I´m not sure if it´s Best Picture-material (Kris Tapley mentioned correctly, it´s really small, and not much drama going on), I really liked it, even better than the slightly overrated “Juno”.
But, if one thing is sure: Sally Hawkins so much deserves a Best Actress- nomination! She is just radiant and funny!
I bet the academy will love her too!
“…definitely not the indie comedy that the trailer is promoting.”
That’s good news.
I found HappyGoLucky underwhelming unlike other Mike Leigh films. Sally will get her Oscar nom but won’t win. The film has little to give and is definitely not the indie comedy that the trailer is promoting.
“Juno slot” made me LOL — I mean JUNOL — so hard, and so unexpectedly, that I had to wipe my monitor. So now I feel comfortable pointing out that Kris might apply for a register mark (®) rather than for copyright protection.
Meantime, it’s okay to use “Juno slot™.”
thank you cjk. i’m still smiling thanks for the kind words ! 🙂
however i don’t think i have anything up my sleeves to match the
‘you come in my mouth/ and then you dump me’
segment from ‘roman de gare’
no one quoting this line. but i guess that’s because i liked it. 😉
and i forget you can’t quote from a new movie unless it has chance at best picture nom. i’m sorry… 😉
Wasn’t that called the “Little Miss Movie that could-spot” just a year ago?
Watching the trailer, I was waiting for the driving lesson to end up in a crash leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. And she had to eat gruel. But cheers for Mike Leigh. But I bet you that something really, really sad will happen.
5-time Oscar nominee, Mike Leigh, as we say around here.
We also say, “If you’re keeping score at home, that’s Three 6 Mafia: one; Diablo Cody: one; Mike Leigh: zero.”
Excellent point Sean. Hard to pigeonhole Leigh.
I can’t wait to see it, but I prefer the European trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMwD7Zy6Vno
Oh, and TOPSY-TURVY wasn’t about “miserable working-class people.” Just saying.
Glimmer, that was your best comment in months.
This one is has been on my radar since BIFF (bang, pow) and I was glad to see Mr. Tapley giving it a good notice. I agree it’s nice to see Leigh do something a little lighter than the usual lower class dirge.
‘…newly minted “Juno slot“©’
wow my mind’s going all porno..sorry… 😉
and i do want to see happy go lucky. thanks for reminding us ! 🙂
and if ‘happy’ goes anywhere they owe it all to xavi and slayton. 🙂
I’m not a big Mike Leigh fan but it’s nice to see him do something that doesn’t involve miserable working-class people for a change.
Just watching that trailer put me in a better mood. Looks like a blast.
It looks better than Juno.
Sorry Kris. Poorly worded.
I’d originally written “Kris is tapping…” but then I was tempted to add a line about “Nathaniel is rogering…” so I decided not to go down that road.
Oh, I’m not betting on it. But if such a slot existed, and if there’s a film this year to take such a hypothetical position, this would be it.
Guy is much more hopeful than me. It’s a cheerful film, but SMALL.
Thanks to Slayton for the comment on May 20th: “Add Sally Hawkins to Best Actress for ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’ ”
And the early-bird prize goes to Xavi Rodriguez on March 5th (!!) for being the first here to mention Hawkins as a possible Oscar nominee.