Customer Reviews

Nuts in May

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Keith and Candace-Marie are an insufferable couple from Surrey trying to uphold their contrived hippie ideals whilst on holiday in Dorset. For the domineering Keith, encounters with the common man are as painful as Candace-Marie's interest in them. In classic Leigh fashion, Keith's stubborn nature leads to a tense conflagration at the end. The "Zoo" song is a highlight and listening to these intellectual-turned-hippie idealists causes wonderful embarrassment and high levels of cringe.

people know mike leigh more for his recent dramatic efforts, namely secrets and lies, and naked.however his early films are the true jewels in the crown of the director.films such as grown ups,home sweet home, and meantime are all classics.nuts in may, however, is the funniest.perhaps it is the protaganist, keiths, absurd need for total dominance over any situation which makes it so hysterical.certainly the performance by roger sloman is incredible, i dont know why he wasnt in more films.as we slowly see him lose control, as the campsite he and his wife visit slowly has its peace disturbed by increasing numbers of fellow campers, the film reaches higher and higher levels of torturous embarrasment-and the viewer is embarrased for keith who is like an alien amongst the people he is surrounded by.as one earlier reviewer noted, not everyone will get this movie, as it relies on subtle character insights to make us laugh.however, the people i have shown this film to who did get it, mark it as one of their all time favorites.definitely try it.

I first saw Nuts in May when it was screened by the Beeb in 1975.I almost died from laughing so much. Now I have it on video and reach for it at moments when I need reminding about the essential absurdities of day-to-day life. Mike Leigh is an absolute genius and his powers of observation spot-on. Alison Steadman as Candice Marie was never better, giving a performance that surpassed even her role as the Essex girl from hell in Abigail's Party. As for Roger Sloman, whatever happened to this brilliant actor? He deserved a knighthood at the very least.

It's definitely not for everyone, but fans of Christopher Guest's "Waiting for Guffman" and the Australian classic "The Castle" will totally appreciate the painfully real humor of this irony-deficient couple trying to organize their brand of fun. Not only are the performances spot-on, but the camerawork makes it a classic comic masterpiece. I busted out laughing multiple times as the camera lingered over a fellow camper's shoes as she crawls out of her tent, or Candace Marie standing atop a cliff as Keith, below, shouts up facts about limestone that she can't hear. Priceless, true-to-life portrayals of insufferable, humorless control freaks that we've all had the misfortune of being "entertained" by, or the greater misfortune of camping with.

Low-key character-dependent comedy rises to a pitch of hysteria, as in all the best of Leigh's work. And the pitch, as always, is a mixture of humor and desperation, pulled off by actors who seem genuinely out of control. This is one of my favorite comedies; I can watch it time and again. But I do find myself showing it to people who simply stare and go, uh...?

camping, englishness, funny as hell, subtle, its a beauty, it makes me jump up and down for joy i love it! one of vic and bobs faves too

The subtle humour of the dialog and awkward situations in this mostly uneventful film set on a camp-site can only be appreciated by a particular sense of humour. It takes a while to really get going but it'll have you cringing and laughing all at the same time pretty much from the 'Going to the zoo' song onwards. You'll either find this very funny, or you just won't get it at all - which might be scary becuase you might be just like one of these people if that's the case!

I can see where the League of Gentelmen got 'The Dentons' from in their BBC series now - which I'd thoroughly recommend if you like this kind of humour.

I have seen A LOT of Mike Leigh's films. This remains among my favorites. It is utterly brilliant. It is not "funny" per se, you will not laugh out loud. It is witty, clever, morally challenging, and scathing. Scathing toward whom, you ask? Well, toward the people who were much rarer in the Seventies than today, the smarmy know-it-all do-gooders who feel compelled to educate everyone and flaunt their moral superiority. Wow, if you don't see something (or much) of yourself in Keith, you are either Mother Teresa or a fool. When the peace-loving Keith resorts to violence, you have seen the fatal puncture of a self-absorbed foolishness that has been skillfully highlighted throughout.

A reason this movie may be relatively unknown is precisely how close to the bone it cuts. The kind of person skewered here is exactly the kind of person who gets to make lists of important films and pontificate of them, as well as other subjects they have no knowledge of. And they much prefer to criticize and sneer and see Christians, right-wingers, and racist ranters deconstructed. I once sat at a meeting of self-professed skeptics who spent a couple of hours lambasting the intolerance and pushiness of Christians. In all my years I have never spent any time with any Christians who were as condescending and arrogant as those skeptics. As Calvin once said in the greatest four panel cartoon ever, those unselfaware people really get on my nerves!

So, this is satire. That works. And if it doesn't work for you, well, I'm stumped. And I say that as a charter member, with sweet ol' Melanie, of the "Killer Whites" brigade and a vegetarian for 36 years.

Unfortunately, this is not a restored or cleaned up print. It looks as if it was transferred directly from the VHS copy I have. And no subtitles. Finger and Honky speak in a garbled, thickly accented British slang that is a challenge. It's not vital--you get the idea, but much of it is unintelligible. I was sure hoping to see exactly what they were saying, and I did not.

But as a film...top of the heap. If you don't squirm right along with Ray during the sing-along, you are a stout fellow indeed!

Pure Brilliant. The are not words that can describe how superb this is. Its just so funny in a way that only certain people can really appreciate its comic genious. Its just so good in that it is all improvised with no script or anything. It must take some talent to be able to make a whole film in that way and still keep it good and in this case it was not good but brilliant. Even the names of the characters are funny. The fight seen is a must see, just how did they keep a straight face? And the strange thing to think about is that there are people actually like this out there somewhere and going through that same things. There will never me an improvised follow up to thins that is as good. But the one thing to remember is that you will either love it or hate it!

hi this has to be the best film i ever seen its sooooooo funny shame that keith is not fitter they should make a new modern version starring vin diesel or josh hartnett mmm.
I think that everyone should buy this its great!!!! i reccommend it to you all its a great dvd to buy your family and friends.
Its funny when they sing the songs and keith takes the picture 1 2 3 fwooot.
lol a illegal campfire thas funny he cries like a pansy.

yea anyways check this movie out its good you wont be disapointed.
love sarah x