Happy-Go-Lucky Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 3006

Average Rating: 2.8/4

# of Ratings: 70

Theatrical Release Date: 10/10/2008

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 03/10/2009

Language: English

Genre: Comedy, Drama

MPAA Rating: R

Director: Mike Leigh

Actors: Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Eddie Marsan, Samuel Roukin, Andrea Riseborough, Sinead Matthews

Plot: Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is a 30-year-old London primary school teacher whose cheerful demeanour enables her to deal with whatever life throws at her. She lives with her best friend and fellow primary school teacher Zoe (Alexic Zegerman), whose wry calmness makes her an excellent foil to Poppy's over-the-top enthusiasm. Inasmuch as the two best friends have opposng views at times, they are perfect for each other and love being around each other.

After her bike is stolen, Poppy decides to take driving lessons so she can get around town a little easier. This is where we meet Scott (Eddie Marsan) the uptight driving instructor who is the complete antithesis of Poppy. Scott's strict approach to teaching and his somewhat unstable views on things cause a complete personality clash between the two characters. Poppy always stays true to her genuinely endearing personality and is an eternal optimist no matter what she is faced with. Her happiness is unconditional.

Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 06/19/2019

"Happy-Go-Lucky" is often funny and lead by a shimmering performance from Sally Hawkins.

Matthew Brady - wrote on 03/15/2014

The movie is about a thirty-year-old teacher Poppy (Hawkins) always has a smile on her face, and does her best to brighten the days of those around her by making small talk and cracking jokes. For the past ten years, Poppy has lived with her best friend, Zoe (Alexis Zegerman), a fellow teacher whose wry outlook on life serves as the perfect counterbalance to Poppy's effervescent charm. Mike Leigh the director of this film always brings that special look to his movie what I mean is movies like this always bore me but this movie didn't.

dukeakasmudge - wrote on 10/18/2011

I HATED this movie & I found Poppy EXTREMELY annoying!!!!!

Yojimbo
Movie God

"Happy-Go-Lucky" by Yojimbo

Yojimbo - wrote on 03/30/2012

In a variation on the theme of Dostoyevsky's The Idiot, Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky is a comedy drama about a 30 year old primary teacher called Poppy who has an undying enthusiasm for life and an unwavering optimism in the face of adversity. No doubt deliberately, Poppy comes across as a rather irritating and fatuous creature from the opening of the film, her constant chattering and giggling grating on my cynical, world-weary nerves with a vengeance. But the scenes at her work reveal the roots of her attitude, and it's very difficult not to warm to her. Basically she sees everyone in the world as one of the children she teaches, and tries to understand how they've become what they are; even a tramp who lives in a local back alley and her racist, emotionally stunted driving instructor. …

Franz Patrick
Movie God

One of 2008's Best Feel-Good Films

Franz Patrick - wrote on 05/14/2009

Upon reading other people’s reviews, I got the feeling that Poppy (Sally Hawkins) was this person who was happy all the time and wasn’t at all affected by other people’s negative emotions. After actually watching the film, I believe she’s not like that at all. In fact, she cares so much about other people–her family, her friends, even complete strangers–to the point where she tries to make them happy when she senses that they’re having a bad day or they have something heavy in their minds. Her default emotion is happiness, which is unlike many people whose default is neutral, and that makes her really interesting and entertaining to watch. Writer and director Mike Leigh (”Vera Drake”) did a great job introducing an extremely charming and likable character right from the …

TommyL31
Rising Star

Sally Hawkins is great, the movie is forgettable

TommyL31 - wrote on 04/17/2009

This was an interesting movie. Essentially a character picture about an overly cheerly and optimistic girl and her interactions with others. The flow of the movie itself seemed dull and aimless at times but I think there was some great character work done here. Poppy was excellent and grew more interesting and endearing as the movie wore on. I think Scott the driving instructor was also incredibly well done.

At the end of the day though I think you have to have an amazing character (see "There Will Be Blood") to abandon a good storyline as much as they did. I think Milk did a great balancing job this year. Had a good story and a strong lead part that drew you in as well.

I give the movie credit though for its drama-comedy fence straddling with the character. It's not easy to do …