Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is not afraid to speak her mind. Regularly flying into tirades at anyone she comes into contact with. Her husband Curtley (David Webber) and son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) have been brow beaten into submission by her. And even her usually upbeat sister Chantelle (Michele Austin) is finding it hard to keep positive. 

Hard Truths is a film written and directed by the inimitable Mike Leigh and bares all the hallmarks of his work. Its focus is entirely on Pansy. Her life, her family and her feelings. The level of realism in its setting, dialogue and outcome would make you feel like you were watching a fly on the wall documentary of a real human being if you had no awareness this was a drama. It is also something quite special to watch something so quintessentially British. This film is set in homes and streets that for me feel like British life, something so peculiarly absent on the big screen when the majority of movies come from America. 

The film is initially hilarious. Pansy’s relentless need to speak her mind result in some brilliant barbed comments and painfully funny altercations. But as the plot unfolds that humour gives way to worry and concern as we start to see that Pansy’s behaviour is covering a deep pain and sadness. 

At the point that we meet Pansy her husband and son have given up trying to reach her. They are scared of her admonishments even as they let her wait on them hand and foot. Her nieces hate her, believing her to just be a selfish woman who makes everything about herself. But her sister is still trying to reach her despite the push back and the pain. She does not know how to help her but she will keep on trying. 

This is a difficult but loving representation of a woman whose internal sufferings result in her pushing everyone away, which in turn exacerbate her internal sufferings. 

The result offers no answers but is a fascinating and brilliant watch anchored by a beautiful and special acting performance from Marianne Jean-Baptiste.