"Happy Go Lucky" is the latest movie from director and writer Mike Leigh. I was looking forward to the doom, gloom and suffering that a Mike Leigh movie always gives me. A la "Vera Drake" or my favorite "Secrets and Lies". Boy was I surprised. This movie is about choosing to be happy. The main character is Poppy. She is primary school teacher that lives in London. Poppy goes along with her life while we watch. When her bike gets stolen she just laughs and decides she will take driving lessons. Her driving instructor is her exact opposite. He is grouchy, mean and just plain angry. The best parts of this movie are the interactions between Poppy and this instructor. These encounters are alway funny moments however, Poppy can see through his anger to other emotions.
"Happy Go Lucky" is a very funny movie. You will get a few good belly laughs when you see the Flamenco dance class scenes. This movie gives you more than funny. There are moments of unspoken sadness that come through on the actors faces and only for an instant. This movie also portrays Londoners as normal middle class people. Londoners in movies are either slick, perfect looking, rich people or Cockneys calling everyone Govna' and having a punch up. Poppy is always choosing happiness no matter what she is dealt. I hope it's catching.
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