Another Year

Another Year

This outstanding film was written and directed by Mike Leigh. I thought all the award winning films would have opened by this time. I was so surprised when I saw this amazing film. The film is very English and I loved the total package. The film begins in spring and takes us through the yearly cycle as we see the actions of the various characters.

Gerri and Tom are a middle aged couple. She is rather homely with buck teeth and a double chin. He is a bearded soft spoken man. She is a counselor/therapist and he is a geologist. Their lawyer son, Joe drops in from time to time. Off hours they spend a lot of time gardening on their near by land and entertaining at dinner. They are loving to one another and kind to everyone who comes to visit. They become a comparison to the other characters in the film that all seem so needy.

Mary is a secretary who works with Gerri. She is divorced and chatters all the time. She drinks to excess and has her eyes on Joe, Gerri and Tom’s son. He is much younger than her and obviously not interested.

Mary often goes for a drink with Gerri after work. In one scene we se Mary finishing yet another glass of wine after Gerri has left. She becomes aware of a handsome man standing in the bar. You know exactly what she is thinking. A beautiful woman arrives and embraces the man. Mike Leigh knows how to work your emotions. He builds you up to a certain scene and then re-directs the emotion.

Various characters come to the house for tea or dinner. Gerri and Tom always treat them with respect and attention.

The film is an amazing character study. At first I felt as if I didn’t want to know these unusual people. I had nothing in common with them. As the film developed I felt their pain and I also rejoiced in the loving partnership with Gerri and Tom.

Many of the incidents are funny and of course you laugh. Tom plays golf with his buddies. Tom is just about to make a long shot when one of the men sneezes very loudly (on purpose) He distracts the shot totally.

Even when I laughed I also felt wounded for the people. We see a very depressed woman come to Gerri for counseling. The actual visit could have been very upsetting as we watch her sullen manner and listen to this morose depressed woman. Mike Leigh handles it in such a way that it has a lot of humor.

Mary, in particular, is a pathetic character. Her drinking causes her problems. She saves up to buy a car but makes a bad deal and has constant problems until the car is worthless and unable to drive. She so obviously wants love and throws herself at Joe, the son.

One day Joe brings home, Kate, his new girlfriend. She is the opposite of Mary. She is young, happy and getting Joe’s attention. Mary cannot cope with this.

I wasn’t impressed with Kate in the film. She acted in an overly dramatic way and always had a grin that was too big. I think Mike Leigh was emphasizing the contrast between Mary and Kate but it was a touch overdone. That was the only flaw that I saw.

At one point Gerri states,” Life is not always kind.” That certainly is a central theme in the film. It is well written and the actors are superb.