The indie production of this film made it feel a bit like a made for TV movie at the outset, lacking in the cinematography department and with dialogue and scenarios that seem a little forced. And yet as it progresses, I saw that it wasn't that - these characters have depth, and it's a slice of their lives, not a canned, banal story. It's a depiction of real people with performances that seem almost like caricatures, but it still works. Most importantly director Mike Leigh has a way of getting me invested in his characters, and he also has a fine cast on hand, led by Alison Steadman.
Is life really sweet for these people, who work at jobs they don't really enjoy, don't have much money, and have to compromise their dreams? It turns out, yes. They laugh at life (with the mom's cackle being funny in its own right), roll with the punches, communicate honestly, and make jokes and small remarks to give feedback to their loved ones, but in a lighthearted, supportive way. It culminates in a great scene between the mother and the daughter who is troubled and floundering, a bit of tough love that really showed caring on the one side, and the frustrations with life and nihilism on the other. A near miss for a higher rating from me.
Is life really sweet for these people, who work at jobs they don't really enjoy, don't have much money, and have to compromise their dreams? It turns out, yes. They laugh at life (with the mom's cackle being funny in its own right), roll with the punches, communicate honestly, and make jokes and small remarks to give feedback to their loved ones, but in a lighthearted, supportive way. It culminates in a great scene between the mother and the daughter who is troubled and floundering, a bit of tough love that really showed caring on the one side, and the frustrations with life and nihilism on the other. A near miss for a higher rating from me.