Let's anticipate HARD TRUTHS, Mike Leigh's possible swan song

https://i.imgur.com/jjGadkk.jpg

Gonna watch it on Saturday. I'm stoked.

Reposting from the Leigh poll thread:

It's good. A dynamite performance from Marianne Jean Baptiste, but Michele Austin as her sister is just as strong. Feel like it loses some steam toward the end after a climactic emotional scene, but I was happy with it overall.

― jaymc, Thursday, October 24, 2024 7:01 PM (six days ago) bookmarkflaglink

One of his shortest films too.

Also the shortest thread.

This was a stressful watch, but also excellent.

we've been talking about it in another Mike Leigh thread.

Great performances. Wow.

I thought it showed Mike Leigh's strengths and weaknesses. Yes, great performances - but for me they don't completely compensate for some of the weaknesses: the flat and mundane direction style, the film seeming to be largely a series of repetitive encounters without much narrative flow, and lack of resolution. I feel unfairly super-critical - and it's because I like him as a filmmaker and think he can do better.

I could’ve watched another hour of this but I’m grateful for short films. Michele Austin, who I don’t know, does the same trick as Baptiste in Secrets & Lies, which is to say, gives an incredible performance as one of Leigh’s occasional nice, not-fucked-up people.

I really loved the ending. Just a great visual depiction of her struggle and their relationship. Not sure there was any resolution to be had.

Same. I wanted more time with the characters, but ending where it did was courageous — the irresolution has stuck with me.