Marianne Jean-Baptiste in ‘Hard Truths’. Copyright: Thin Man Films Ltd.
Opening in theaters on January 10th, ‘Hard Truths’ finds director Mike Leigh back in some familiar modern-day territory after a couple of trips to the past for previous two movies ‘Mr. Turner’ and ‘Peterloo.’
It’s also a welcome reunion for the filmmaker and one of his main muses, actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who here runs with a superbly-crafted character brimming with vinegar and criticism, who is nevertheless revealed to be a woman carrying heavy emotional burdens.
Related Article: Mike Leigh, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin Talk ‘Hard Truths’
Will ‘Hard Truths’ make you face tough questions?
(L to R) David Webber, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Tuwaine Barrett in ‘Hard Truths’. Courtesy of Simon Mein. Copyright: Thin Man Films Ltd.
‘Hard Truths’ sees Leigh in humane, typically layered form, working once more with a small cast and getting some truly nuanced, realistic performances out of them. It’s the latest example of the filmmaker’s process, where he largely has his actors build their characters from the ground up, resulting in something special even if it is small-scale.
Don’t go expecting easy, pat answers about grief and growth here –– that’s not what the British director specializes in. Instead, it’s a tender exploration of a character who is oh so easy to hate rather than connect with, since Pansy is a woman whose view of the world has slowly curdled, making her extremely tough to take upon first meeting.
She storms through the world like she’s permanently got a grudge against it, screaming into wakefulness every morning as though haunted by permanent nightmares. Her acid-sharp tongue is quick to bring out the worst in everyone else, from her cowed husband and son to shop workers and almost anyone –– except perhaps for her loving sister.
Script and Direction
‘Hard Truths’ director Mike Leigh. Photo: Myrna Suarez.
“Script” here is something of a misnomer, since Leigh tends to largely shy away from traditional screenplay methods, preferring to come up with concepts and ideas he writes down, before meeting with the actors and giving them some details about the characters, letting them workshop the performance before bringing them together into a rehearsal room where they start to work out the beats of the film.
Leigh keeps his department heads abreast of any developments. The lack of script means the heads must especially listen to and respond to the inclinations of the actors. Once the actors arrive at the point in their improvisations where the film’s story begins, they meet with the department heads. Together, creative leads and actors develop each character’s dress, appearance, and the design of spaces they will inhabit.
For ‘Hard Truths,’ that has led to a powerhouse central performance from Jean-Baptiste, who burns her way through the role and brings plenty of empathy to Pansy.
On the visual front, Leigh keeps things simple and unfussy, the better for the characters to live and breathe. This isn’t a filmmaker who needs to dress his films up with whip pans or Dutch angles. Which is not to say his movies are ever ugly or boring.
Performances
(L to R) Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin in in ‘Hard Truths’. Courtesy of Simon Mein. Copyright: Thin Man Films Ltd.
Jean-Baptiste is of course the focus, but the rest of the cast make the movie work alongside her.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Pansy
Jean-Baptiste comes in like a wrecking ball here, Pansy possibly the most ironically-named character to land on screen in a while (especially since she can’t stand bouquets of flowers). She’s a boiling, seething rage monster who darkens the air around her and seems perpetually locked in a prison of her own making.
Yet she’s also so completely entertaining and empathetic, Jean-Baptiste once again proving why she’s one of the best in the business (she scored an Oscar nomination for Leigh’s ‘Secrets & Lies’ in 1996).
Michele Austin as Chantelle
If there’s one person who truly goes toe-to-toe with Jean-Baptiste, it’s Austin, who plays her far cheerier sister Chantelle. A hairdresser with two delightful adult daughters, she’s sunshine where Pansy is storm clouds, and the two crackle with energy whenever they share the screen.
It’s Austin’s character who keeps the film from feeling weighed down, while also allowing for depth and emotion to creep in.
David Webber as Curtley
Webber is Pansy’s husband, a man who spends his life either cheerily swapping banter with his plumber colleague or suffering through his wife’s moods –– whether he’s walked in with his shoes still on or hasn’t shooed a fox out of the garden fast enough.
Webber’s performance is usually quiet and subtle, and he has a good, cowed energy opposite Jean-Baptiste.
Tuwaine Barrett as Moses
Barrett is the other key part of the family triumvirate, a hulking, video game-obsessed lad who gets bullied when he’s out on walks and suffers the full brunt of his mother’s disappointment.
Supporting Cast
Sophia Brown and Ani Nelson play Chantelle’s vibrant, funny daughters, who have to deal with their own issues, but prove to be charismatic counterpoints to their aunt and his family.
And then there are the various characters who incur Pansy’s wrath, including Ruby Bentall’s cheery doctor and Gary Beadle as a motorist who becomes annoyed when Pansy won’t move her car from a parking space. They all help fill in the world of the film.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Ani Nelson, Michele Austin, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Tuwaine Barrett, Sophia Brown, and David Webber in ‘Hard Truths’. Courtesy of Simon Mein. Copyright: Thin Man Films Ltd.
Leigh’s newest is a healthy, solid return to the sort of movie he does so well, boasting some excellent performances. The story might lose a little pace towards the end, but Jean-Baptiste in particular carries it through.
‘Hard Truths’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Pansy is a woman tormented by anger and depression, hypersensitive to the slightest possible offence and ever ready to fly off the handle. She criticises her husband… Read the Plot
What is the plot of ‘Hard Truths’?
Set in London, the plot follows the plight of depressed middle-aged woman Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and her relationship with her close ones—including the crumbling relationship with her jovial sister, Chantelle (Michele Austin) – who is opposite in terms of mood, and the state of her other interpersonal relationships.
Who is in the cast of ‘Hard Truths’?
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Pansy Deacon
- Michele Austin as Chantelle
- David Webber as Curtley Deacon
- Tuwaine Barrett as Moses Deacon
- Ani Nelson as Kayla
- Sophia Brown as Aleisha
- Jonathan Livingstone as Virgil
‘Hard Truths’ opens in theaters everywhere on January 10th. Photo: Thin Man Films Ltd.
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