As nerdy as it is to admit, I pay pretty close attention to things like sound mixing and sound levels when I'm watching movies. Either I've developed a "critical eye" or I'm officially a film nerd. Regardless of when I became so critical, the sound mixing in Happy-Go-Lucky drove me nuts. I firmly believe that once I start watching a movie, I shouldn't have to have the remote on hand to constantly adjust the volume. The fact that the sound levels were all over the place is my greatest criticism of this film and something that I had a hard time getting beyond.
Sound mixing aside, Sally Hawkins, who plays Poppy, the lead in Happy-Go-Lucky, is basically unknown to me, except for her small role in The Painted Veil (sigh). I wish I had another performance of hers to compare with this one. The performance, at times seems over the top, and at other times seems endearing. It's hard to take her performance seriously when she appears in such stark contrast to her overly-cantankerous driving instructor and overly-emotional flamenco instructor. But over the course of the movie, she and her laugh gradually seem more realistic and less of a caricature.
I spent most of the movie trying to decide if Poppy had an amazing spirit or an annoying disregard for her own safety and her driving instructor's feelings. Ultimately my confusion distracted me from what could have otherwise been the feel-good movie advertised on the back of the DVD.
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