‘Hard Truths’ Review: Mike Leigh’s Heartbreaking Drama

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Mike Leigh, a renowned British director, is back to depicting domestic life in London’s working-class scene, following two successful ventures into 19th-century settings (2014’s Mr. Turner and 2018’s Peterloo). The film titled Hard Truths could easily describe many of Leigh’s works, particularly his Palme d’Or winner from 1996, Secrets & Lies. Despite a gap of almost three decades between that movie and Hard Truths, Leigh retains his unique talent for unearthing the complex emotional layers of his characters without resorting to sentimentality, commentary, or even necessarily a resolution.

In a remarkable fashion, both “Secrets & Lies” and “Hard Truths” share a common element: they feature the exceptional talent of Marianne Jean-Baptiste. While her performance in “Secrets & Lies,” where she portrayed a middle-class Black woman striving to reconnect with her past, was commendable, her role in “Hard Truths” is truly explosive, both in intensity and emotional impact. In this film, Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy, a Londoner in late midlife who unleashes a torrent of vitriol and sarcasm towards the world and its inhabitants, with seemingly no source or end to her anger. Her frenzied outbursts into the abyss of profound despair make “Hard Truths,” one of Leigh’s finest works, resonate more deeply than some might care to acknowledge.

Depression That Manifests as Withering Sarcasm

In a subtle and captivating manner, the character Pansy is portrayed as struggling, yet the cause of her suffering remains unspecified. She embodies the tormented figure from Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” transformed into a fiery, post-Covid suburban housewife. Initially, her biting remarks provide a dark humor, but it becomes apparent that her destructive actions are consuming her from within. Director Leigh and his longtime cinematographer Dick Pope (who passed away in October 2024; “Hard Truths” being Pope’s final work) masterfully document Pansy’s toxic outbursts with a calm, deliberate balance that enhances the film’s impact.

It appears that Pansy finds true tranquility only in sleep, a respite from the constant anxiety that often leaves her awakening in a state of breathless panic. The insightful stage design by Suzie Davies shows us that Pansy’s two-story home lacks any personal touch or belongings, as if she is intentionally avoiding anything that could potentially trigger her anger. This suggests that the recipients of her ire are primarily her downtrodden spouse, Curtley (superbly played by David Webber), and their somewhat reserved 22-year-old son, Moses (Tuwaine Barrett).

Curtley and Moses appear dejected as they sit at the dining table, weighed down by years of harsh words, with Pansy’s dinner conversation being more akin to biting remarks than cheerful banter. Pansy’s cutting comments particularly affect Moses, who often retreats to his room, lost in thoughts of airplanes that might whisk him away from a mother whose disapproval seems boundless, leaving her wondering aloud if he has no aspirations or dreams at all, seemingly unaware that her endless well of criticism may be the very reason for this.

The Sadness Inside a Raging Daughter

During her daily routine, Pansy vents her frustrations to anyone within listening distance – from furniture store clerks to grocery cashiers and strangers on the road. One wonders if she has any friends or family who tolerate her behavior. However, it’s Chantelle (a remarkable Michelle Austin), Pansy’s hairdresser sister and polar opposite, who patiently listens to her clients and offers comforting words and a sympathetic touch. The death of their mother five years ago has left a question mark about whether Pansy will join Chantelle in paying tribute to their mother at her grave. This dilemma is one of the main conflicts in this film, which follows the characters as they navigate life’s unexpected twists and turns.

The response Pansy gives when asked why she can’t enjoy life by her sister at the gravesite offers a glimpse of vulnerability in her hardened depression; this change transforms her from a character intriguing for her morbid, occasionally humorous demeanor to one that evokes deep sadness.

Mike Leigh’s Unusual Filmmaking Style Pays Off

Typically with Leigh, actors develop their characters over several months before filming, followed by extensive rehearsals. The director then blends these ideas into a flexible shooting script, encouraging improvisation during production. This collaborative approach results in characters that are not solely the product of one mind but rather the collective creativity, selflessness, and emotional understanding of the actors portraying them. Unlike a curious observer who seeks answers, Leigh is more of an astute observer. He often refrains from editing characters too leniently, as seen in the gripping eight-minute long take in the diner scene from Secrets & Lies.

Scenes in Leigh’s working-class films often move at a slow, leisurely pace, linking the everyday lives and family conflicts of the characters to our own experiences. Once again, Hard Truths demonstrates the remarkable impact of Leigh’s distinctive filmmaking approach.

The movie “Hard Truths” showcases seemingly insignificant victories that, in reality, carry a deeply painful impact. In this story, a melancholic and tormented woman named Pansy visits Chantelle’s cheerful home for Mother’s Day dinner, where decades of tension are on the brink of consuming her. However, a profound moment of self-realization catches her off guard. As she tentatively steps into her constrictive and oppressive backyard, it feels as if she’s about to take her first step onto an unfamiliar planet, unsure if there is enough breath left in the air. Throughout this journey, directed by Leigh and skillfully portrayed by Jean-Baptiste, we experience every step that Pansy takes, a journey that doesn’t conclude with the film’s powerful final scene but – we hope – begins with it.

Beginning on January 10, 2025, the thought-provoking film “Hard Truths,” produced collaboratively by Film4, Thin Man Films, The Mediapro Studio, and Creativity Media, will be shown in cinemas across the country. Don’t miss it at Lincoln Center in New York.

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2025-01-07 20:02