Hard Truths - Film Review

Post

Subscribe

Mike Leigh’s Poignant Exploration of Grief, Family, and the Weight of Fear



If you enjoy a good dramatic movie, book your tickets to see Mike Leigh’s new film, Hard Truths. It’s a masterfully crafted drama that delves deep into the raw complexities of human relationships, exploring the stark contrasts between happiness and despair, connection and isolation, action and stagnation, love and fear. In true Leigh fashion, the film is an unflinching character study that offers a deeply affecting portrait of a woman struggling against her own inner demons and the impact of those struggles on the people around her.



At the heart of the story is Pansy, a woman whose agoraphobia, hypochondria, and paranoia create a web of negativity that ensnares everyone in her orbit. Her attempts to control her environment—whether through criticism, attacks, or self-victimisation - only serve to push people further away. Her husband, Curtley, and their unemployed son, Moses, have learned to endure her outbursts in silence, their emotional distance growing as they struggle under the weight of her anxieties.



In stark contrast stands Pansy’s sister, Chantelle, a vibrant single mother who runs a thriving hair salon and finds joy in the company of her two daughters, Kayla and Aleisha. Their home is filled with laughter, warmth, and genuine affection, a painful juxtaposition to Pansy’s world of rigid control and resentment. When the sisters visit their mother Pearl’s grave on Mother’s Day, old wounds are reopened, shedding light on Pansy’s deep-seated fears and the origins of her emotional turmoil. It’s a moment of intense vulnerability, and in it, Leigh masterfully reveals the ways grief can shape—and sometimes warp—those left behind.



What makes Hard Truths truly remarkable is its authenticity. Every performance is strikingly believable, from the leads to those in even the smallest roles. Marianne Jean-Baptiste delivers an astonishingly raw and layered portrayal of Pansy, making her both infuriating and deeply tragic. Michele Austin’s Chantelle is a beacon of warmth and resilience, while David Webber and Tuwaine Barrett as Curtley and Moses give moving performances as men grappling with a love that feels more like an obligation. The ensemble cast, including Ani Nelson, Sophia Brown, and Jonathan Livingstone, brings a sense of lived-in realism that makes every interaction feel painfully true to life.



Visually and narratively, Leigh employs his signature techniques to emphasise loneliness and isolation. Silence speaks volumes in Hard Truths, with body language often revealing more than words ever could. The absence of grandiose cinematic flourishes allows the characters’ emotions to take centre stage, making their pain and their small triumphs all the more resonant.

For those familiar with Leigh’s body of work—including Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake, and Mr. Turner - the film’s high standard of storytelling will come as no surprise. He continues to prove himself as a filmmaker who understands the human condition in a way few others do. Hard Truths is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately insightful look at the ways we limit ourselves and the ripple effects of unresolved grief. It is a testament to Leigh’s enduring brilliance as a storyteller.



Hard Truths opens in cinemas across Australia on Thursday, March 6, 2025. It is not to be missed.
…
#arts_culture
#film_tv_reviews

%wneverywhere

All images are provided courtesy of the filmmakers.