Happy-Go-Lucky

Once in a while you walk into a video store not knowing exactly what you want to rent. You scan through the rows upon rows of DVDs and then some cover catches your eye. You've never heard of the movie, but the blurb looks interesting and on a whim you rent it. This is how I came across Happy-Go-Lucky.

I've found that many books and films can be put into one of two categories. The first is your typical story with a build-up, climax and then conclusion - the whole story is about getting to that climax. The other is a journey kind of story where it's not so much about some huge dramatic occurrence but rather a slice of life - you see a piece of the characters' lives.

Happy-Go-Lucky falls into the second category. It's about a primary-school teacher and how she views the world. She's always cheerful and optimistic. That doesn't mean that bad things don't happen to her, she just handles it in her own way. And she's not naive about the sometimes cruel realities in life either. The film covers her relationships with her family and friends, her class and with her driving instructor. I really loved the film. The dialogue is witty and I found myself wishing I could meet Poppy the school teacher.

This film opened my eyes to how much we control our own environment. People always say be optimistic - you'll live longer. But to actually have that mindset and truly live it is something else. I hope to someday reach that happy-go-lucky state. Either by car or plane :-).

On a side note, the lead is superbly played by Sally Hawkins who also featured in two BBC adaptions of Sarah Waters novels, Tipping the Velvet (minor role) and Fingersmith (main character).