This is one of Mike Leigh's finest works. I am very keen on Leigh's work, but it does sometimes stretch credibility and sometimes stretches one's attention span. This film is captivating throughout and strangely credible. It is also very amusing in parts - an element of Mike Leigh's talent that is sometimes absent, sometimes ignored.
The acting really is of the best, with Spall, Jean-Baptiste, Logan and Blethyn all putting in classy lead performances. Super cameos too from Ron Cook and Lesley Manville. Even Alison Stedman and some others put in tiny guest appearances for fun.
The film gives terrific insight into 1990's London, from somewhat gauche middle class suburbs to the down-at-heel working class inner-London boroughs.
A great place to start if you want to get in to Mike Leigh's genre of British film.
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