I’ve been a long-time fan of Palme-d’Or winning filmmaker Mike Leigh who, in addition to his directing talents, has racked up 5 nominations in the best original screenplay category at the Academy Awards.  Only two people in history have more nods in that category – Woody Allen (16) and Federico Fellini (6).  The films to earn Leigh a nomination have been Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999), Vera Drake (2004), Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), and Another Year (2010).

If there’s one of the abovementioned movies you need to see before Hard Truths, it’s the dark comedy Happy-Go-Lucky.  It starred Sally Hawkins, in a Golden Globe winning role, as a 30-year-old schoolteacher who is constantly happy.  She may sound like the perfect person to hang out with but unfortunately, her positive outlook rubs others up the wrong way.  Many friends and acquaintances are jealous of her joyful attitude, and it only makes them more miserable.

It’s a nice companion piece because Hard Truths has a central figure who is the complete opposite.  Pansy Deacon (Jean-Baptiste) is a middle-aged woman who is one of the most miserable, negative people you could imagine.  She disagrees with every decision made by her husband (Webber) and son (Barrett), she random chastises customers in supermarkets and department stores, and she complains constantly to her sister (Austin), the only person still willing to engage with her on a meaningful level.

The film works beautifully as both a comedy and a drama.  On a shallower level, it’s hard not to be amused by Pansy’s antics and insults.  From slagging a check-out attendant who isn’t smiling, to criticising a baby for wearing an outfit with pockets, there’s laughs to be had.  On a deeper level, you can analyse the hurtful impact Pansy has on others with an emphasis on her immediate family.  Her kind-hearted husband has become a quasi-mute.  He’s too afraid to say anything because he knows Pansy will retort with a vitriolic assault of words.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste earned an Oscar nomination almost 30 years ago for her wonderful, subtle supporting performance in Leigh’s Secrets & Lies.  It’s a shame she didn’t earn a nod this year.  Jean-Baptiste is exceptional in creating an individual who is inherently unlikeable but also someone you want to know more about.  Is there anyone who can break through her rock-hard exterior and find a softer side underneath?

Mike Leigh has a knack for creating interesting characters and placing them in ordinary day-to-day situations.  He’s done it again in Hard Truths and it’s another must-see movie to be admired and debated.