Films with positive and uplifting themes are currently desirable. We need, as a society, instruments to convey this kind of messages and allow us to be better and act better. And this film is very good, engaging, cheerful and inspiring.
The script is undoubtedly one of its main strengths: original, creative, positive and lively, it revolves around Poppy, a primary school teacher who insists on looking at life on the positive side, always showing happiness, with a smile on his face and a joke on the tip of his tongue. She is one of those people who would be able to raise the morale of a funeral and who does good to all the surrounding people, starting with the small revolted child and ending with the bitter and permanently unsympathetic driving instructor.
The main problem with all this is that the success of the film depends largely on how the viewer accepts the character. People who, like me, sympathize with her, will see and probably like the film, while people who are irritated by her permanent joy and inability to take anything seriously will probably leave the theater on the first half hour. In fact, just as there are many people who like to see the bright side of life, there are also a lot of people for whom this is unacceptable, it is taking the seriousness of serious matters and making life a joke. Another important problem with this film, for me, is its slow pace and excessive length. When I saw the film, I felt that the story told dragged on at several moments, and it did not justify two hours length. There are several scenes that, on the editing table, could have been shortened without damaging the film, shortening it by about half an hour.
The cast is good and does a nice job. Of course, Sally Hawkins is the actress who carries the film with a well-made performance, which can be viewed in many ways. In fact, if we want, we can observe the work of the actress and question Poppy's psychology: if it is true that there are a lot of people who use her contagious joy to hide very hard bitterness or severe depressions, we can question how far Poppy is happy and if her joy was not also a psychological defensive mechanism. There are moments when the character reveals a more serious, sensitive side, and these are nuances that the actress knew how to explore. Eddie Marsan makes a good counterpoint in the role of Scott, the driving instructor, and offers us interesting film work around dislike and anger.
Technically, the film is quite regular and does not bring us anything truly remarkable, except for a few details, such as the discreet use of a good soundtrack, the realistic sets and the colorful and cheerful costume of Poppy, which displays everything what the character is inside. The detail of the boots is particularly interesting and revealing, since it is a type of footwear that brings together durability, versatility and comfort, which also reveal a certain relaxed pragmatism of the character. Mike Leigh's direction is solid and consistent. The cinematography is good, and I particularly liked the visual style, which seems a little inspired by Woody Allen, another director who offers us light and animated comedies.
The script is undoubtedly one of its main strengths: original, creative, positive and lively, it revolves around Poppy, a primary school teacher who insists on looking at life on the positive side, always showing happiness, with a smile on his face and a joke on the tip of his tongue. She is one of those people who would be able to raise the morale of a funeral and who does good to all the surrounding people, starting with the small revolted child and ending with the bitter and permanently unsympathetic driving instructor.
The main problem with all this is that the success of the film depends largely on how the viewer accepts the character. People who, like me, sympathize with her, will see and probably like the film, while people who are irritated by her permanent joy and inability to take anything seriously will probably leave the theater on the first half hour. In fact, just as there are many people who like to see the bright side of life, there are also a lot of people for whom this is unacceptable, it is taking the seriousness of serious matters and making life a joke. Another important problem with this film, for me, is its slow pace and excessive length. When I saw the film, I felt that the story told dragged on at several moments, and it did not justify two hours length. There are several scenes that, on the editing table, could have been shortened without damaging the film, shortening it by about half an hour.
The cast is good and does a nice job. Of course, Sally Hawkins is the actress who carries the film with a well-made performance, which can be viewed in many ways. In fact, if we want, we can observe the work of the actress and question Poppy's psychology: if it is true that there are a lot of people who use her contagious joy to hide very hard bitterness or severe depressions, we can question how far Poppy is happy and if her joy was not also a psychological defensive mechanism. There are moments when the character reveals a more serious, sensitive side, and these are nuances that the actress knew how to explore. Eddie Marsan makes a good counterpoint in the role of Scott, the driving instructor, and offers us interesting film work around dislike and anger.
Technically, the film is quite regular and does not bring us anything truly remarkable, except for a few details, such as the discreet use of a good soundtrack, the realistic sets and the colorful and cheerful costume of Poppy, which displays everything what the character is inside. The detail of the boots is particularly interesting and revealing, since it is a type of footwear that brings together durability, versatility and comfort, which also reveal a certain relaxed pragmatism of the character. Mike Leigh's direction is solid and consistent. The cinematography is good, and I particularly liked the visual style, which seems a little inspired by Woody Allen, another director who offers us light and animated comedies.