"Career Girls" A film on Sundance

[amicus]

I enjoy looking for films that I have not seen before, films that entertain. I have found a few French, fewer German, some Australian, some Japanese films and of course some British movies that keep me interested.

I watched one this evening, 'Career Girls', from beginning to end and you must take into consideration that I am an American viewer...meaning that I didn't understand half of the 'cockney' (probably incorrect) dialect, the rapid speech patterns, the unfamiliar English terms, that take an instant to maybe clarify.

Career Girls is a 1997 production, not too old, not too new, the director is spoken of in the links below, and the plot is fully explained, none of which satisfied my curiosity...


But, before I read the 'professional reviewers' opinion, I had a lot of questions about British society, middle and lower class; British education, housing, transportation and just how these two girls acquired the funds for 'flats' and food and schooling, all of which, I am sure is obvious to English viewers, but not to me.

To be frank, as the film progessed, I expected a 'lesbian' direction would ensue, but it did not...and that pleased me, but...left me rather confused as apparently the British 'mating game' runs along a different track than does the one in America and to me, was almost invisible, at least in the film.

Anyway, if anyone has seen the film, or other works by the director, or has comments on the genre the film occupies, I would like to hear what you have to say.

thanks.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19970815/REVIEWS/708150301/1023

http://www.movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/c/career.html

http://www.epinions.com/content_191984799364


amicus...

 

[NoJo]

Mike Leigh is one of Britains most popular directors, and one of my favorite.

He's liked in Europe too, particularly in France.

He pioneered a film-makking technique which leads to a very documentary-like feel. He works with actors individually at first, while they build their characters in isolation. Once the characters are formed, there's a long series of improvised sessions, where the dynamics of the relationships are created, the actors speaking more or less freely. Once shooting starts, however, all of the scenes, dialogue and storyline have crystallised, and, contrary to some people's belief, there is no improvisation at the shooting stage.

Programs like "The Office" owe a big debt to Mike Leigh, both in their style, and their subject matter (which is usually loneliness and alienation, very British ailments).

My wife and I, when we were at a cul-de-sac in our marriage, saw one of his bleakest films, "All or Nothing", about a marriage break up. A week later we had separated. Some weeks later we met for a coffee, and got on well with eath other, for the first time in years. We were walking arm-in-arm down the street when we bumped into Mike Leigh. We told him how much we enjoyed his film and how it was the probably the trigger for our separation. He looked at us, obviously noticing how happy we seemed, and said "well, I hope you'll both be very unhappy together". Brit humour.

 

[amicus]

"...He looked at us, obviously noticing how happy we seemed, and said "well, I hope you'll both be very unhappy together". Brit humour..."

'Brit humour' indeed...which was one of my observances...I had to work to understand the humor and the irony and the sadness of the film I saw.

Thank you..


amicus...

 

[davidwatts]

"...He looked at us, obviously noticing how happy we seemed, and said "well, I hope you'll both be very unhappy together". Brit humour..."

'Brit humour' indeed...which was one of my observances...I had to work to understand the humor and the irony and the sadness of the film I saw.

Thank you..


amicus...

I have not seen Mike Leigh's "Career Girls", but I will make a point to look out for it. I have seen Leigh's "Secrets and Lies" and "Naked", and they are both very interesting films as well.

"Secrets and Lies" has the better performances of the two, as well as having considerably more heart than "Naked", which is a little tough to watch at times. Both of the above are also about people of the working class as well, and no effort is made to polish the people or their surroundings. No mistaking these films for Merchant Ivory productions either.

Mike Leigh certainly does not hide the fact that he is British, and the accents and language are challenging for those not used to it, like me. He obviously did not make these films for mass consumption here in the USA, and good for him. Next time I watch "Naked" however, I think I'll put the subtitles on.

 

[amicus]

good point, not sure subtitles were an option, but they certainly would have helped me, thank you...


amicus...