Cast: Sally Hawkins (Poppy), Eddie Marsan (Scott)
Written and directed by: Mike Leigh
Release date: October 2008

Many a time I have wondered if I am really happy with my life. Pondering what qualifies as real happiness, whether it is made up of bits and pieces of momentary pleasure or if it’s better defined as a more enduring contented bliss. For Poppy it is simple. Life for her is always sunny side up. A perky smile and an indefatigable, at times infectious, at others grating, cheerfulness delineates her sense of self. Derived from an inexhaustible wellspring deep down inside, it is independent of the fickle vagaries of the external world. Her exuberant cheer is almost comically defiant of whatever negativities life could throw at her.

Mike Leigh is known for his unrelentingly bleak view of humanity. As one of the pioneers of kitchen sink realism, he has time and again proved himself to be an unparalleled chronicler of drab working class British lives. So, is this a break of sorts for him? Is Happy-go-lucky an uplifting, crowd-pleasing dramedy? I don’t think so. While misery and tragedy have been staple fodder for reliably gloomy offbeat cinema, Leigh chooses to explore the bright side of the coin. And walking the tightrope between the pitfalls of enjoyable but feather-light comedy on one side and self-conscious art-house prattle on the other is a difficult proposition indeed. Leigh accomplishes it with grace and élan.

His Poppy, as played by an incredible Sally Hawkins, is astoundingly radiant but her loneliness is all too commonplace and real. She is the kind of person who would stop to greet and wave at any and everyone she sees on her way. Including squirrels and naked fat men in their gardens and surly book-shop owners. She is a primary school teacher and lives with her roommate of ten years, Zoe. When her bike is stolen, she takes it into her stride as usual and decides to take driving lessons. The instructor Scott, played by English comedian Eddie Marsan in a bravely repulsive turn, is like her anti-thesis. As a teacher, he is hopelessly crabby and overbearing. And as an individual…well…let’s just say he’s not the friendly type. In fact, he’s a pathetic creature, wizened up with bitter hatred and animosity. He yells at Poppy to close the doors when two black guys cycle past their car. He blames other people’s disregard for rules and order to be at the root of all of his own and the world’s wretchedness. The interaction between Poppy and Scott provides the dramatic tension in an otherwise plot-less script. Both are characters who can’t help but be themselves. And it culminates in a sequence where Scott’s wound-up rage bursts forth and he comes close to actually communicating with someone, revealing his confused and conflicted soul.

There is an almost surreal hiatus in the movie where Poppy runs into a homeless man in a park. We see her fear of the man’s irrational, crazy behavior and also, the over-riding empathy, which makes her listen patiently to his gibberish and make an attempt to understand him.

Poppy is not a giggly teenage girl, who is happy only because she doesn’t know any better. She is thirty and still single, being advised by a younger sister on the wisdom of marriage and savings. She has to demonstrate sensitivity in dealing with young kids acting out in school due to problems at home. And she is afraid of spending the rest of her days nursing a drink for company in the evenings. Her attitude towards life in spite of all this is not intended as a favor to others. It is for herself, that Poppy acts the way she does.

This is a movie where a lot happens without anything much seeming to happen, where the sum is way greater than the parts. It somehow manages to be touching and profound, without creating a fuss about it.

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