Another Year (2010)

Mike Leigh has, at this stage of his career, such a recognisable style and voice that it makes his films feel truly unique and special. For wherever he has ventured he has always kept character, and pathos close to the heart of all he does, of all the current British directors he is the one with the innerving eye for celebrating the ordinary and the mundane. In his latest he follows a year in the life of a middle aged, married couple, Tom and Gerri, played superbly by Leigh regulars Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen. They are an almost unusually happy and contented couple, enjoying their quiet days together at the local allotment or inviting their friends over for dinner parties. Kind, understanding and good natured they embody goodness but in a very real and relatable way. The well worm rhythms of a marriage are carefully observed, the two performances are so good in fact that they may pass you by. Sheen is motherly yet understanding; Broadbent with his Droopy eyes is one of my favourite actors and here manages another impressive twist on his laid back, and well meaning everyman.

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Though there is no great focus on plot in the film, what little there is, is sparked by the introduction of Mary, one of Gerri’s work friends who calls on the couple for support. Played by Leslie Manville Mary is a heartbreaking trainwreck of a character. Bubbly and outgoing she is also deeply insecure and on edge. Struggling with the basic tasks of keeping her life in order she enters and exits the film like a force of nature, acting as both occasional comic relief but also as a source of great sadness and sympathy as well. It is an incredible performance of a richly detailed character, one that could so easily have fallen into parody or annoyance but who remains oh-so human throughout.

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The film is split into the four seasons of one year through which we see these characters grow and change, come and go. As per many of Leigh’s films it is very deliberately paced and painfully observant. Peter Wight makes a memorable appearance of another of Tom and Gerri’s old friends, Ken, as he visits for a weekend. As much a wreck as Mary, he instead has given up on improving things and the scenes with him are tragic and haunting. One of the big questions the film seems to ask is; why do some people seem to get all the happiness? Tom and Gerri seem to have more than their fair share, whereas others just can’t seem to grasp it. It’s a poignant and interesting idea that is subtly played out and explored, rather than answered.

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The improvised nature of the dialogue and scenes give the film a very organic feel and Leigh’s patient and observed direction gives the film time to breathe. It is a measured and understated film wonderfully aided by Gary Yershon’s score which underpins the drama perfectly. Mike Leigh’s films can often be tough going but I found Another Year charming and truthful as well as frequently bittersweet and sad. Its emotional impact feels light but packs a punch you might not see coming, earned from true emotion and a compassionate eye.