Happy-Go-Lucky

In general I'm not a fan of Mike Leigh's work. I often find it thoroughly patronising and don't get me started on Naked, which is the closest I've ever got to walking out of a film (I didn't but only because I was in the middle of a row of friends) However, his more recent work hasn't annoyed me anywhere near as much. Happy-Go-Lucky is a much brighter film than usual - and not just because of Poppy's dress sense. She's the sort of person who sees the good in everyone, although there are hints that there's more turbulence below the surface than first appears. Driving instructor Scott is her complete opposite, all venom and bitterness. Refreshingly she doesn't convert him to her worldview. In fact she throws his life completely out of kilter. The driving lessons are priceless as an irrestible force meets an immovable object, although I have to admit to a sneeking sympathy with Scott at such moments. The urge to shout "for goodness' sake concentrate woman!" was almost overwhelming. Yet, unusually for Leigh, there are no hidden secrets lurking for the unwary. Poppy's a great teacher, has fast friends and by the end there's even the prospect of love, and if that doesn't count as a happy film, then I don't know what does.