My mother once asked me if I was a "generally happy" person. I'm still not sure of the answer, but I'm fascinated by the question. What does that mean? Who is without sadness at times? And who can say for sure if the balance makes one "generally happy" or "generally sad"? I’m not sure about myself, but I can tell you one thing for sure - Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is generally happy. Poppy is over-the-top, out-of-control, stupid happy, the kind of person who, in the opening scene of Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, is only upset about her bicycle being stolen because she won't be able to say goodbye. When told that she can't make everybody happy, Poppy suggests that there's no harm in trying. Personally, I think people who try to make everyone happy are denying the full range of human emotions as much as those who see anger and hatred in everything, but Mike Leigh's excellent film isn't about issues that widespread. I don’t believe it advocates or ridicules a generally happy outlook on life. Rather, it's a character study in the classic sense of the phrase, featuring a lead who will stick with you for days and weeks to come. It’s easily one of the best movies of the year.

At its core, Happy-Go-Lucky is an insanely simple story. It's about a woman whose bike gets stolen and who subsequently takes driving lessons from an angry instructor (the excellent Eddie Marsan). That's really it. There are some other encounters throughout the movie. Poppy takes flamenco lessons from a woman who could star in "Angry-Go-Lucky," visits her whiny sister, has an unusual encounter with a homeless man, and helps a troubled child through a horrible situation. She even finds some shockingly uncomplicated love along the way. There’s an episodic nature to Happy-Go-Lucky that may turn off some viewers, but, to me, it’s how those episodes add up to something interesting that make it a great, challenging film. However, some audiences could easily be turned off by the lack of action or drama in Leigh’s wonderfully simple story.

You might think that spending that much time with someone who could be called a fascist of cheer would be unbearable but it's far from. At the same time, you might think that a film about an eternal optimist would be an in-your-face, manipulative crowd pleaser. Happy-Go-Lucky isn't that either. So what is it? Some critics are already digging deep, searching for hidden themes about human nature, but I think Happy-Go-Lucky can be something different for different people. To me, it's a simple story about a 30-year-old schoolteacher who maintains an arguably dangerous and naive sense of happiness in her life. Not to ruin any element of this wonderful film, but don't expect life lessons. Don't expect an explosive climax. But DO expect something remarkable in today’s film world – watching people you believe exist outside the frame and before and after the credits roll.

You can also expect a character that will stick with you long much longer than you might think. I'm not going to get cheesy and tell you that Poppy has changed my life or affected the way I look at a half-empty glass, but I find myself still thinking about her, even though I’ve seen dozens of movies since. I think mostly about how her cheerfulness impacts the world around her and marvel at how it’s not always our actions but sometimes just our moods that can have a ripple effect. I don't believe that Mike Leigh is advocating Poppy's worldview - in fact I think she's as "lucky" as she is "happy" if you consider some of the dangerous situations her optimism and trust lands her in. He just wants us to spend some time with someone whose outlook may not be the same as ours. So, we meet Poppy's friends, family, lover, co-workers, and driving instructor and see, however subtly, she impacts them all in very little ways, as we all impact the people we know.

The guaranteed Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins doesn’t just portray Poppy. She inhabits this character to her soul. Hawkins could have easily played Poppy turned up to a happy eleven, like a character straight off Sesame Street, but she makes her optimism real. She is completely believable, particularly in the recognition that people like Poppy have other speeds. When things get serious, as in the troubled child or a violent encounter at the end, Hawkins does some incredibly subtle and complete work. This is as well-rounded and complex a performance as I've seen in years. I love every single decision that she made. Generally happy people and generally sad ones will agree, Happy-Go-Lucky is generally great.

Rating: FOUR BONES

Reviewed by Brian Tallerico (MovieRetriever.com Film Critic)

Release Date: October 24th, 2008

Rating: R

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman, Samuel Roukin, and Kate O’Flynn

Director: Mike Leigh

Writer: Mike Leigh