Dir: Mike Leigh | Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, David Webber, Jonathan Livingstone, Tuwaine Barrett, Michele Austin | UK Drama 97’
Not an easy film to watch but certainly true to its title. Mike Leigh’s latest brings together all the negative elements of urban life today for a black family. Lacking the gentle humour and endearing characters of Life is Sweet or Secret and Lies, Hard Truths pictures the coal face of middle-age misery for hard working mum Pansy (an obdurate Marianne Jean Baptiste) whose only joy is her spotless North London home and comfy settee. An oafish out-of-work son Moses (Barrett) lounges around upstairs, and a loveless marriage to decent manual worker Curtley (Webber) offers little respite from her days of endless depression where everything gets on her nerves and communication only leads to ugly confrontation, even with her easygoing sister Chantal (Austin). Pansy needs to find some joy or salvation in her life, but somehow she can’t. Brilliant characterisation and performances all round but not many laughs in this plangent portrait of despair. @MeredithTaylor
HARD TRUTHS IS NOMINATED FOR THE GOLDEN GLOBES and BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2024