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Three working-class families are struggling to get by in South London:
Phil (Timothy Spall) drives a cab and his wife, Penny (Lesley Manville), works at the local Safeway. Their daughter Rachel (Alison Garland) cleans in a home for the elderly while their son Rory (James Corden) does nothing but lie around on the couch eating, being verbally abusive, and watching TV. There's no affection shown in this household - they all take each other for granted.
Maureen (Ruth Sheen) also works at the Safeway and takes in ironing. She's concerned because her daughter Donna (Helen Coker) has a boyfriend, Jason (Daniel Mays) who's abusive.
Ron (Paul Jesson) drives a cab with Phil and he's married to Carol (Marion
Bailey). She has a drinking problem and is a constant embarrassment to
her daughter Samantha (Sally Hawkins). Samantha has problems of her own;
the only guy interested in her is basically a stalker, Craig (Ben Crompton),
but she has her eye on Jason.
These families are held together more out of habit than out of love. Until
a crisis occurs in each home (unexpected pregnancy, a heart attack, and
a breakdown) that shatters their complacency and forces the people to choose
between their old existences and new lives. They each much decide how this
catalyst for change will affect their family - it might bring them closer
together, or force them to realize it's time to move on.
This isn't a feel-good kind of movie, the abusive relationships, the sad
drunk, the lost teenager struggling to find her place in the world; it's
all pretty depressing. But it's not just realistic characters living drab
lives; there is a sense (not exactly hope, but close) that these people
are going to be different (maybe even happier) after their wake-up call.
Although, don't expect total resolution for everybody's problems, because
you're not going to get that - it's more like life in that you get the
possibility of better things, but that's it.
Director Mike Leigh captures the essence of these characters and the ensemble
cast is exceptional - you forget that you are watching actors pretending
to be a bunch of sad sacks because everything about them says "hard
life". The mood is supposed to be enhanced by the overly somber violin
music, but you can't help thinking it's too funereal sounding and it becomes
a distraction instead.
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