Hard Truths (Mike Leigh, 2024, UK/Spain)

Mike Leigh's first film in 6 years, and his first non-period film since 2010's Another Year, Hard Truths marks a return to form for the British auteur. Clocking in at roughly an hour and a half, Truths is a character-driven kitchen-sink-style drama that the director is perhaps best known for. It marks the second collaboration between Leigh and actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who is perhaps best known for starring in Leigh's essential 1996 film Secrets & Lies.

Hard Truths centers around an angry woman named Pansy Deacon, who lives with her husband Curtley and her adult son Moses. Moses, clearly also suffering from his form of depression, sits around at home all day and occasionally goes for walks. Curtley and Pansy's relationship is strained, and it seems Curtley has checked out of their relationship entirely. Pansy goes about her day getting into various confrontations with the people she encounters. The only person for whom she seems to have any good feelings is her sister Chantelle, a single hairdresser. The film culminates with a Mother's Day party.

Hard Truths, while well-acted, is a bit of a challenge compared to other Leigh films. Pansy is a particularly unsympathetic protagonist, and to spend an hour and a half with her is quite exhausting.

While Leigh is attempting to make some commentary on how the COVID pandemic left lasting scars on us, he succeeds with 10 minutes of Pansy's onscreen time. The film feels somehow slight compared to some of Leigh's other dramas, but given its fairly brief running time, it does not overstay its welcome. Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) is one of the film's more intriguing characters, and perhaps would have benefited the script had Leigh given more focus to his development and path out of depression. The film leaves something to be desired ultimately.

5/10