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The film revolves around the pleasant but withdrawn character of Sylvia (played by Anne Raitt) Lonely and always dressed in black she lives in a dreary suburban area with her handicapped sister Hilda (Sarah Stephenson) who she cares for. During the film Sylvia befriends a very nervous hippy from Scunthorpe called Norman (Mike Bradwell) who is renting her garage. But perhaps the most disdurbed character is the chronically repressed and somewhat misanthropic shoolteacher Peter (Eric Allan). One senses that Sylvia and Peter both desire some sort of intimate relationship with each other, but that the level of communication and emotional developement required for such personal involvement would make it unlikely to develop.
The truly astonoshing thing about this film is how they succede in taking this depiction of repression and nervousness to such an extreme level without it becoming farcical, and also retain well rounded and believable characters. This is due in large part to the strength of the acting, which Mike always manages to get from his talanted performers. The characters inner worlds are shown not so much through speech but through their physicality and above all their facial expressions. We may never meet people quite as repressed or introverted as these characters, but the directors purpose in accentuating these tendencies is to make clearer the dangers and shortcomings of such tendencies.
Finally, although the film title is aproppriate and the aquardness of the characters is often difficult to watch the film is not without humour. In fact watching this the second time around i found myself roaring with laughter occasionaly. We are not however invited to laugh at them in a cruel way, rather they make us laugh in the same way real people`s ideosyncracies can make us laugh. I strongly recommend viewing this film. A masterpiece in my opinion, and a work of tremendous psychological depth.
One of the directors who are greatest at fictionalizing real life and depicting the tensions, the uncertainty, the awkward silence and the variable ways human beings communicate within social situations goes into the heart of minimalistic filmmaking in this acutely directed independent film. "Bleak Moments" definitely has it`s bleak moments and it is a sharp existentialistic portrayal of everyday life where the monotony, the waiting for something else, the endurance of time and the mercilessness of isolation gets under the skin of people who wants nothing more than companionship. A subtle study of character, a perceptive chamber piece, a considerate drama and a social comedy, Mike Leigh`s character-driven debut is a distinctly realistic film with a distinct atmosphere created by fine actors and actresses, where life is the central character that surrounds and inhabits the multifaceted and lovable individuals. The dialog is subtle and witty and in her first feature film role, actress Anne Raitt gives a profound and understated performance. Less is more in this remarkable display of storytelling from one of the great auteur filmmakers.
A slice of life.. albeit life in all it's awkwardness and "quiet desperation"
There's scenes in this film though that are very... Read more
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