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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Mike Leigh has made a career out of unusual films--who else would make a biopic about Gilbert & Sullivan?--but Happy-Go-Lucky may be his most unusual yet: A movie about a woman who is almost compulsively cheerful. Poppy (Sally Hawkins, star of the 2007 miniseries of Persuasion) may at first seem like the most annoying human being alive. She can't help but try to get a smile from someone who's ignoring her. When her bicycle gets stolen, she shrugs it off and decides to learn how to drive, which leads her to form a strange sparring relationship with her frustrated driving instructor, Scott (Eddie Marsan). Meanwhile, she takes flamenco lessons, visits with her squabbling family, tries to help a troubled boy at the school where she teaches, and encounters a homeless man--but this bland catalogue of events doesn't capture how Poppy's relentless optimism acts as a rorschach test to the people around her, reflecting back their worst or best feelings about themselves. Poppy, whose natural impulse is to empathize, discovers she needs to draw boundaries between herself and a world that wants to interpret her cheerfulness in unintended ways. The result is a unique movie experience, one that defies conventional notions of what's dramatic yet grows more absorbing with every moment. Just as it's hard to imagine anyone liking Poppy at the start of Happy-Go-Lucky, it's hard to imagine that anyone doesn't care about her by the movie's end. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
Academy Award nominee Mike Leigh (Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, Vera Drake, 2004), delivers the delightfully fresh and cheerful comedy Happy-Go-Lucky. Free-spirited and effervescent, Poppy is a schoolteacher whose unstoppable optimism guides her life. Bubbling forth with giggles, laughter and jokes, life's a bowl of cherries even when she comes across a few pits. Whether it's a cranky driving teacher or a fiery flamenco instructor, Poppy embraces life on the sunny side of the street. It's a joyous, feel-good film you'll find irresistible. Bonus features include: Behind the Wheel of Happy-Go-Lucky, Happy-In-Character, audio commentary by Director Mike Leigh
Customer Reviews
“ Like all good movies, this one stuck with me for some time afterwards and I found myself enjoying it even more in watching it a second time. ”
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By M. Thomsen
Format:DVD
This is all about Poppy, played by Sally Hawkins. Single in London. Positive, cheerful, and generally embodies the title of the movie. Every situation is to be faced with good spirit, a light attitude, and cheer.
At the beginning it seems that she will overrun a challenge like a tank running over a building in a WW II flick. Smiles. Banter. Humor. Irrepressible. Even when alone.
The challenges grow. A problem student. A vagrant in a deserted part of town. A doctor visit. A dance instructor with issues.
And then the new champion for Driving Instructor From Satan, played by Eddie Marsan. These scenes are classics. As in many movies confrontation is important to good comedy or drama. The theater I saw this in was laughing its collective heads off. The driving lessons make me smile even as I type this.
How Poppy reacts to each challenge - and how others react to Poppy - is the core of this movie. The plot is mostly a string of episodes. Mike Leigh does an outstanding job directing, finding a second level to each situation. Funny and happy. But also thoughtful and a little gritty.
Sally Hawkins should be up for an Oscar in 2009, but that is a whole other discussion.
At the beginning it seems that she will overrun a challenge like a tank running over a building in a WW II flick. Smiles. Banter. Humor. Irrepressible. Even when alone.
The challenges grow. A problem student. A vagrant in a deserted part of town. A doctor visit. A dance instructor with issues.
And then the new champion for Driving Instructor From Satan, played by Eddie Marsan. These scenes are classics. As in many movies confrontation is important to good comedy or drama. The theater I saw this in was laughing its collective heads off. The driving lessons make me smile even as I type this.
How Poppy reacts to each challenge - and how others react to Poppy - is the core of this movie. The plot is mostly a string of episodes. Mike Leigh does an outstanding job directing, finding a second level to each situation. Funny and happy. But also thoughtful and a little gritty.
Sally Hawkins should be up for an Oscar in 2009, but that is a whole other discussion.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Watch this movie and think to yourself, "Who am I MOST like?" Poppy, the main character, or Scott (the driving instrutor)? Which one can you identify with the most? Now...Which one do you NOT want to be like? Or to become?
The main character if FULL OF JOY for living. What is the point of life if there is NO JOY??? Honestly, I keep reading these negative reviews and they're so superficial. Forgive me, but that's how I feel. Every scene and every character has a reason for being the way it is. Trust me on this one. Just open your minds. Please. And remember this...it's a M O V I E. Seriously. Some people need to lighten up and drop the BS. Mike Leigh wrote and directed one of his best films here, and all some people can say is, "The main character is so annoying". Wow. How sad. Once you have THAT in your head, the rest of the movie will not make any sense. Word.
The main character if FULL OF JOY for living. What is the point of life if there is NO JOY??? Honestly, I keep reading these negative reviews and they're so superficial. Forgive me, but that's how I feel. Every scene and every character has a reason for being the way it is. Trust me on this one. Just open your minds. Please. And remember this...it's a M O V I E. Seriously. Some people need to lighten up and drop the BS. Mike Leigh wrote and directed one of his best films here, and all some people can say is, "The main character is so annoying". Wow. How sad. Once you have THAT in your head, the rest of the movie will not make any sense. Word.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Happy-Go-Lucky stars Sally Hawkins as Poppy, a 30 year old London elementary school teacher who is so cheerful she makes Pollyanna look like Eeyore.
The film doesn't follow any Hollywood formula, so here is fair advance warning. You may not like "Happy-Go-Lucky" if:
1. You dislike "British Humor".
2. You have difficulty following non-American English.
3. You dislike films without a definite or obvious "plot".
There is a decidedly British genre that I would loosely describe as "get a handful of interesting characters together and follow them a few days". (I recently watched "The Station Agent" and although the characters and setting were different, it shares this genre.)
Poppy isn't just cheerful. She finds almost any situation a suitable one for a joke and a laugh. In the opening she rides her bicycle to a bookstore where she tries unsuccessfully to get the attention of the bearded young man who works there. She goes outside to discover her bicycle has been stolen. She is disappointed and says "I didn't even get to say good-bye!"
The stolen bike leads Poppy to decide to take driving lessons. She hires the increasingly serious and severely humorless Scott, played by Eddie Marsan. Some of the funniest scenes in the film and certainly the most serious one take place during Poppy's driving lessons.
Poppy has shared a flat with Zoe for ten years, and she has two younger sisters who don't share her irrepressible cheery disposition.
I could give you the entire "plot" and although I wouldn't be giving you many "spoilers", I also wouldn't be giving you much encouragement to watch the movie.
The Mrs. and I laughed out loud several times. Go back to my short list of disqualifiers. If you're NOT disqualified, you might like it.
The film doesn't follow any Hollywood formula, so here is fair advance warning. You may not like "Happy-Go-Lucky" if:
1. You dislike "British Humor".
2. You have difficulty following non-American English.
3. You dislike films without a definite or obvious "plot".
There is a decidedly British genre that I would loosely describe as "get a handful of interesting characters together and follow them a few days". (I recently watched "The Station Agent" and although the characters and setting were different, it shares this genre.)
Poppy isn't just cheerful. She finds almost any situation a suitable one for a joke and a laugh. In the opening she rides her bicycle to a bookstore where she tries unsuccessfully to get the attention of the bearded young man who works there. She goes outside to discover her bicycle has been stolen. She is disappointed and says "I didn't even get to say good-bye!"
The stolen bike leads Poppy to decide to take driving lessons. She hires the increasingly serious and severely humorless Scott, played by Eddie Marsan. Some of the funniest scenes in the film and certainly the most serious one take place during Poppy's driving lessons.
Poppy has shared a flat with Zoe for ten years, and she has two younger sisters who don't share her irrepressible cheery disposition.
I could give you the entire "plot" and although I wouldn't be giving you many "spoilers", I also wouldn't be giving you much encouragement to watch the movie.
The Mrs. and I laughed out loud several times. Go back to my short list of disqualifiers. If you're NOT disqualified, you might like it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Happy-Go-Lucky
Sally Hawkins puts smiles on all of our faces in this light hearted film. Her character, Poppy, shows us how to ride the fine line between the pain of reality and the joy of the... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Brianna
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Miss It!
This was a hilarious, thinking person's feel-good film with superb acting that my husband and I both enjoyed! Can't wait to share it with my "cool" friends!
Published 2 months ago by Susan Otis
5.0 out of 5 stars
When You Need a Reason to Laugh Out Loud
Amazing acting, a pure delight! The driving instructor is just wonderful! The performance of the lead role is masterful.
A must-see for just about everybody.
A must-see for just about everybody.
Published 2 months ago by Slow Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this film
Sheer happy-inducing fun. What a great film. Sally Hawkins should have been nominated for an oscar. I totally recommend it.
Published 2 months ago by Mutinie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting little lady
I found this movie refreshing and pleasant to watch. Different. Nicely directed. Makes you wish more people were like her in your life.
Published 2 months ago by R. Childers
2.0 out of 5 stars
Being an always postive airhead: A tutorial.
This movie can best be summed up by the very first scene in which the main character is wandering through a book store, spots a book entitled "The Road to Reality", looks at it,... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mark Beronte
2.0 out of 5 stars
Obliviously obnoxious Poppy
Poppy thinks of herself as quirky, fun and kind, but you can't really be kind to people if you never put yourself in their shoes and are only interested in demonstrating your own... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Della
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mike Leigh's best
I have seen a good deal of Mike Leigh's films now, but I think "Happy-go-Lucky" is his best. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jeremy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cheery. Way too cheery
'Poppy' Cross has one of those unfortunate names. This cheery grade school teacher has never had a cross moment in her life. Read more
Published 7 months ago by wiredweird
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really fun
In the first few scenes of Happy-Go-Lucky I found the main character, Poppy, to be tiring, maybe even empty-headed. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Joyce
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