By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: David Webber | Marianne Jean-Baptiste | Michele Austin | Sophia Brown | Tuwaine Barrett
Year: 2024
Running time: 97
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11891850/reference/
Brett says: “HARD TRUTHS is a intimate character study, but who would expect anything less from a Mike Leigh film? Marianne Jean-Baptiste rejoins the director after previously collaborating on SECRETS AND LIES, as she brings perpetually disgruntled Pansy to the screen in this portrayal. In part, Pansy’s world is not unfamiliar to many, as she routinely labors over housework and trudges along through life’s day-to-day requirements—many times, mundane though necessary requirements—while the effects of aging are also taking their toll. Pansy’s standout characteristic is her irascible demeanor, and anyone in her path is never exempt from her knee-jerk wrath.
“Surrounding her in this rather cantankerous lifestyle is her quiet and mild-mannered husband Curtley and even quieter son Moses. Both are in a role where they could not regularly get a word in even if they tried because of Pansy’s outspokenness on every issue in and out of the household. The ill-tempered Pansy is not going at it without a sense of deep-seated agony of her own, however. The film presents her in a way where the audience is sure she is harboring something way down within, and her path through the plot is somewhat revelatory to open the character up to an ironic fondness for her. This sort of complicated twisting of the audience’s emotions and confusing reads on personality is the crux of the film. Even Curtley and Moses are enigmas as well, and although they do not light up the screenplay pages with dialogue, their own hurt and inner stories play out three-dimensionally just the same.
“The film is full of potential with interesting character builds in the supporting cast to help foster this focus on Pansy. The lead carries so much of the weight of the film, however, that it could be argued that accelerator to the floor for a majority of the film may be a bit much; that is, Pansy rarely gives it a rest. For some, the laughs will come easily, since the turns of a phrase and exorbitant amount of hyperboles from Pansy are designed to be quite amusing. Arguably, for some, this can overextend itself at varying points in the film and wear out its welcome. Though many will call it the performance of the year, Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s portrayal can be perceived as a little over-performative at times and altogether ‘put upon.’ Fans of the stage will likely embrace the antics, but it could be argued that it doesn’t always gel on screen. It is definitely an assessment which will have a clear divide among audiences since the character does not offer much of a middle ground for one’s view of her.
“Further argument could be made that David Webber’s portrayal of Curtley is the real standout performance here. The man tells full stories with just dead-stare facial expressions. The hurt within this man is told in many varying forms as he interacts with Pansy, his job, his son, his in-laws, and life around the house in general, and all mostly without saying much of a word. Moses is a well-rounded character as well, even though his interests and routines seem one-dimensional. The young adult is harboring dreams and desires like many of the others, and it’s this ability to reveal these emotions to the audience that really gives the film its wings. It is likely necessary for Pansy’s portrayal to be so over-the-top in order to give these characters their needed water for sprouting.
“The supporting cast’s effectiveness extends beyond the nuclear family of the film. Chantelle is Pansy’s sister, who is a stark contrast to Pansy’s anything-but-calm manner. She is helpless in her attempts to crack the case with her sister’s traumas, but the love is very evident. It is a supporting performance like this among many that make this film a standout candidate for best cast all-around. The tricky part—depending on which side of the fence one falls on—is navigating the firestorm that is the lead character, who sometimes seems to be a movie all her own. 3 CATS OUT OF 5“