Hard Truths is a classic disconnect between art and entertainment. While I would never slight Hard Truths for lacking artistic merit, the film is almost completely bereft of entertainment value.
Why are you going to the movies, anyway?
This film has zero (0) plot points. Not a single one. The closest it comes is a moment of realization in a graveyard, but that just turns the meager “action” from “Pansy is angry” to “Pansy is somber,” which, admittedly, is a relief. I grew very tired of Pansy’s anger, especially without explanation.
Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is an unhappy middle-aged British housewife … and she takes out her unhappiness on everybody. She yells at supermarket clerks and postal workers and guys looking for parking. She cows her son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) and husband Curtley (David Webber) to the point where they just look defeated, constantly. I can’t remember last time I felt so sorry for a husband … and I never feel sorry for husbands.
The movie can be funny, almost entertaining, until the viewer realizes that Pansy’s anger is all it has to offer. And I’m not kidding here. For a full fifty minutes of screentime, Hard Truths is one scene after another of waiting for Pansy to explode at someone. The guy to my right laughed a bunch in the first thirty minutes, until we both caught on that this is the entire film.
And Hard Truths seems to be missing an Act I. The film quite clearly wants us to sympathize with Pansy. It noted every last detail of her angrily removing Curtley’s clothing from their bedroom. Ok, tell me, what did Curtley do to
earn this? Make me sympathize, movie. Tell me what’s eating at Pansy; why is she a bottled hurricane at all times?
We never get that.
Oh, and we don’t get an ending, either. In classic 1970s film fashion, writer/director Mike Leigh leaves us guessing as to what comes next. And I cannot stress enough that the film really doesn’t have any plot points. There are events. Things almost happen. But the plot is missing. It’s like saying your daily routine has a plot. I mean, I suppose it does, if you go to work every day, is a day where you go to work a “Plot?” I don’t think so. The big event is Mother’s Day, celebrated at the apartment of Pansy’s sister. And pre-empted by their visit to their mother’s grave. These things happened. And they were emotional events. But was there any plot here? Honestly, I don’t think so.
Hard Truths is the kind of film you study in film school to learn about mood and setting and dialogue and emotion. There is a deeper film here, underscoring emotional longing and bitter resentment. However, as the events that got to such a place are never revealed, I grew tired of the product. Film students, critics, have at it. I’d honestly rather watch another stupid superhero film.
There once lived a woman named Pansy
Unhappy with her child and man-sy
Hour by hour
She spent the day sour
That couldn’t possibly be part of her plan-sy
Rated R, 97 Minutes
Director: Mike Leigh
Writer: Mike Leigh
Genre: Films without plots
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Critics
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Viewers
