Search results
Jun 3, 2023 · The 12 Best Mike Leigh Movies, Ranked Jim Broadbent. By Luc Haasbroek. Published Jun 3, 2023. Your changes have been saved. Email Is sent. close. Please verify your email address. Send ...
- Author
- Mike Shutt
- Topsy-Turvy (1999) If "Secrets & Lies" is the one Mike Leigh will be remembered for, how is it not number one the list? Well, any list of movies is ultimately determined by the person writing it, and the one I will remember him by is his 1999 epic "Topsy-Turvy."
- Secrets & Lies (1996) The only surprise about "Secrets & Lies" being number two on this list is that it isn't number one. In a lot of ways, the 1996 Palme d'Or winner "Secrets & Lies" is the grand statement of what Mike Leigh is all about.
- Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) Crafting a central character as chipper and joyful as Poppy is in "Happy-Go-Lucky" could go south so quickly. We have all been around people who are just a little too happy, and we find it to be progressively more annoying the longer we stay around them.
- Life Is Sweet (1990) On the audio commentary for "Life Is Sweet," Mike Leigh recites an alphabetical list of things he says the film is about. They range from "accordions" to "dieting" to "industrial safety" to "tongues."
- Jeremy Urquhart
- Senior Author
- 'Secrets & Lies' (1996) IMDb Rating: 8.0/10. Secrets & Lies is Mike Leigh's most famous and acclaimed film, earning a total of five Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and generating a huge amount of acclaim upon its release.
- 'Naked' (1993) IMDb Rating: 7.7/10. If Naked counts as a slice-of-life film, then it's probably one of the most twisted slice-of-life films ever made. It follows a particularly depraved individual who constantly antagonizes the people around him and lashes out against society.
- 'Vera Drake' (2004) IMDb Rating: 7.7/10. Like Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake also sees Mike Leigh turning to the past to tell a story. Unlike Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake has no light-hearted moments or anything close to comedic relief, and stands as what might well be Leigh's heaviest and most emotionally devastating film.
- 'All or Northing' (2002) IMDb Rating: 7.5/10. All or Nothing is a Mike Leigh film that leans heavier towards drama than comedy, though there is a little comedic relief, at least at first.
- Bleak Moment (1971) Mike Leigh’s debut feature film narrates the quiet and despairing life of secretary Sylvia (Anne Raitt) and retard sister Hilda (Sarah Stephenson).
- High Hopes (1988) Mike Leigh’s third feature film depicts the harsh realities in the lives of two working-class British citizens, Cyril (Philip Davis) and Shirley (Ruth Sheen), during the Thatcherite tenure.
- Life is Sweet (1990) Leigh’s third theatrical feature film conjures up the end of the Thatcher era and as the country is on the brink of a new beginning.
- Naked (1993) The film involves a cynic and an idealist character Johnny having complex traits and confusing motivations. Throughout the film, Johnny remains a frustratingly nocturnal mysterious Mancunian character whose behavior is difficult to comprehend.
- Bleak Moments. In Mike Leigh’s directorial debut, secretary Sylvia, struggles with her everyday life enmeshed with the hardships of caring for her mentally challenged sister Hilda and fantasies about her teacher and boyfriend.
- Naked. Following the exploits of Johnny, an intellectual conspiracy theorist as he vents his ranks on strangers and embarks on a journey throughout London.
- Life is Sweet. This comedic drama focuses on twin sisters Natalie and Nicola and their parents Andy and Wendy. While the twins may look alike, their outlooks on life are completely different.
- High Hopes. High Hopes is a rather odd story about an old widow Mrs. Bender with her yuppie daughter Valeria and a Marxist son Cyril and his girlfriend Shirley.
Mike Leigh Movies Ranked. 1. Vera Drake (2004) R | 125 min | Crime, Drama. Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the mores of 1950s Britain--a conflict that leads to tragedy for her family. Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Heather Craney, Richard Graham. Votes: 26,763 | Gross: $3.75M.
Mike Leigh’s Filmography Ranked by JC_Stewart89 | created - 26 Aug 2020 | updated - 26 Mar 2021 | Public A listing of the grounded and methodical British filmmaker relying on carefully constructed naturalistic performances by way of many rehearsals from his talented group of actors.
