Life is Sweet

Directed by Mike Leigh, Life is Sweet details the low-key exploits of several working-class characters, including Jim Broadbent’s Andy, Jane Horrocks’ Nicola, and Timothy Spall’s Aubrey, over the course of a few eventful days. Filmmaker Leigh, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a mostly appealing slice-of-life drama that benefits from the superb efforts of its top-notch cast, as the various performers turn in subdued, authentic work that goes a long way towards heightening the impact of Leigh’s far-from-eventful narrative – with, in particular, Broadbent and Spall’s completely captivating efforts here remaining a highlight from start to finish. (Horrocks’ broad turn is, from time to time, a little tough to stomach, admittedly.) And although the movie does eventually progress into a comparatively hit-and-miss midsection (ie the transition from the relatively upbeat opening stretch to a darker, more gritty second half is a little jarring, to say the least), Life is Sweet‘s proliferation of absorbing sequences, including an electrifying third-act confrontation between Nicola and her exasperated mother (Alison Steadman’s Wendy), ensures that it eventually builds towards a thoroughly satisfying finish – with the final result a slightly erratic yet predominantly solid endeavor that does, in its closing scenes, pack a fairly substantial emotional punch.

*** out of ****

Leave a comment