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Review
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Mike Leigh is beginning to accumulate a very impressive opus
of distinctive, idiosyncratic films that defy Hollywood
convention and illuminate the obscure little corners of
quirky lives. Career Girls is about two women, tall,
hyper-kinetic Hannah and, shy, spastic Annie, who share an
apartment for four years at college. The narrative follows
Annie on her way to visit Hannah six years after both have
graduated, and the two days they spend together, smoothly
switching from present to past to show us the events they
shared. Perhaps "events" is too strong a word: this film is
about their relationship, how they talk to each other,
share with each other, and occasionally flail at each other
when their lives become frustrated. Hannah is aggressive
and outspoken, and starts a relationship with Adrian, only
to lose him to Annie. The relationship doesn't last long
and whatever bitterness Hannah may have felt has been
subsumed by her friendship for Annie. Ricky makes a shy,
tentative move towards Annie, but is rebuffed, and
disappears. He provides the film with it's most poignant
moment as the girls, genuinely caring for him, seek him out
at his home. Neither of the two leads are classical
"Hollywood" types, but that is part of the strength of many
Mike Leigh films: they look like you and me. Hannah's nose
is too big; Annie suffers from a skin disease. Ricky, their
friend and temporary room-mate, is over-weight and
stutters. But as they talk and as we are shown episodes of
their lives together at college, we learn more and more
about what makes them tick, how they felt about life, and
how they learned to accommodate each other until they
discovered they were best friends. The film succeeds in
making this a rich journey of discovery. Perhaps Leigh
isn't the most brilliant director in the world today, but
his films are indispensible for the light they throw on
everyday lives. And there are moments in them when you
will catch your breath because they touch so close to the
nerve.
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