Hard Truths – Leigh’s Return to the Present
Written by Dr. Zoe Crombie
Often paired with Ken Loach as a master of social realism – though perhaps with a more optimistic outlook – Mike Leigh has been a fixture of British film since his breakthrough in the 1980s. Tackling everyday problems and serious social issues with a simultaneous respect and humour, Leigh has continued to make quality cinema throughout his career. Although his last two films, Mr Turner and Peterloo, turned to the past for inspiration, he retained his empathetic interest in the lives of ordinary people made extraordinary, and his most recent work is no different.
Leigh’s latest film Hard Truths isn’t about bygone historical fascinations, but the issues of here and now, returning to the social realism that became his bread and butter in the 1980s and 90s. Following a pair of siblings, the grating and nihilistic Pansy and her charming sister Chantelle, Leigh utilises his talent for humanist cinema to encourage us to sympathise with a central character who can’t stand anything, let alone other human beings. Of course, this is only possible through the mesmerizingly infuriating lead performance from Marianne Jean-Baptiste, reuniting with Leigh nearly three decades after her breakthrough role in his Secrets and Lies.
It may have missed out on attention from the Academy, but Hard Truths has something that some of this year’s Oscar nominees lack – a sense of authenticity from a seasoned director who truly cares about his subject matter. With filmmakers like Leigh struggling to acquire funding in an industry focused on ephemeral streaming ‘content’, this is one to watch if you want to support timeless independent British cinema.
See Hard Truths between the 7th and 13th February.
