Kate Nash’s “Merry Happy” is featured in the trailer of Mike Leigh’s new film, “Happy Go Lucky.” As the title suggests, the British director is taking a break from his dark kitchen-sink dramas and going for something a little more light and whimsical; it’s a full-on comedy. And honestly, this is a nice reprieve given his work in recent years, while excellent, rather a heavy emotional load (“Vera Drake,” “Secrets & Lies”).
In the effervescent new comedy from director Mike Leigh (“Vera Drake,” “Secrets & Lies”), Sally Hawkins stars as the unforgettable Poppy, an irrepressibly free-spirited school teacher who brings an infectious laugh and an unsinkable sense of optimism to every situation she encounters as a single woman in London. When Poppy’s commuter bike is stolen, she signs up for driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), who turns out to be her polar opposite – a fuming, uptight cynic who takes himself extremely seriously. As the tension of their weekly lessons builds, Poppy’s story takes alternately hilarious and serious turns — careening from flamenco classes to first dates–becoming a touching, truthful and deeply life-affirming exploration of one of the most mysterious and often the most elusive of all human emotions: happiness.
Hawkins is a dead ringer for Beatrice Dalle. Or at least she is in the trailer. We were sure it was her at first (from “A Night On Earth”). “Happy Go Lucky” will also be one of the main films at the Toronto International Film Festival this year.