DVD Release Date:  March 10, 2009
Theatrical Release Date:  October 17, 2008 (limited); October 24, 2008 (wider)
Rating:  R (for language)
Genre:  Comedy-Drama
Run Time:  118 min.
Director:  Mike Leigh
Cast:  Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman, Samuel Roukin, Karina Fernandez

Everyone needs a Poppy.  She is the personification of Happy-Go-Lucky, a breath-of-fresh-air kind of movie that is sure to do more than put smiles on peoples faces (though it will, and often) and actually lift their tired, world-weary spirits.  But it’s also one of dramatic and thematic consequence, expressed with benevolence.  Poppy won’t only inspire you to lighten up but to also lighten the burdens of others.

Eschewing a definitive narrative arc, British indie-auteur Mike Leigh (Vera Drake, Secrets & Lies) brings his improvisational approach to this episodic character piece.  Yet where most of his previous efforts have been unflinchingly raw, Happy-Go-Lucky is unabashedly whimsical.  It’s a visit into the life of Poppy, a single, 30-year-old grade school teacher with a carefree approach to life.  Even the most serious stick-in-the-muds or ill-tempered buzzkills (like her driving instructor) actually draw out her personality rather than extinguishing it.

Poppy is a joyful nonconformist.  She laughs in the face of trouble, smirks at pretense, giggles through physical pain, and doesn’t even let theft of property get her down.  She has a gift of taking the edge off, whether by playfully pestering friends or (for her own catharsis) ending a tough day by bouncing on a trampoline.  She’ll even wave “hi” or offer a bubbly “hello” to complete strangers as she bikes through North London.  She’s not merely someone who won’t allow anything to keep her down; she impulsively wants to bring everyone up.

Her relentless charm initially belies a deeper thoughtfulness and compassion.  Though she may appear flighty at first, Poppy also appreciates and takes in the simple things—like a beautiful sky—and that is the strength of her charm.  She’s a free-spirit because she’s so aware of what life has to offer, not blissfully clueless to its challenges.

It is the challenges, in fact, that ultimately reveal her deeper layers and lead to tender moments.  In one subplot at school, she counsels a bully with effort and patience.  In another extended sequence, she shows kindness (possibly even at her own risk) to a mentally-unbalanced homeless man.  But it’s the relationship with Scott, the driving instructor, that offers the most engaging storyline.  Her blithe demeanor clashes with his demand for seriousness, structure and rules.  Each new lesson escalates the tension, but it’s fascinating to see what evolves under the surface.