Life Is Sweet

Mike Leigh's film lacks the razor sharp wit of his 1977 comedy Abigail's Party, although he hasn't lost his ability to find pathos in the most innocuous situations.

...it really feels as if the story is as surprising to the characters as it is to us.

...almost certainly Mike Leigh’s funniest film, but what’s interesting is that it’s also among his saddest.

...though its vivid color palette (captured by cinematographer Dick Pope) adds to its heightened tone, the filmmaking sometimes lapses into a purely functional visual language.