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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Insightful, 21 January 2003
10/10
Author: Sergey Goldgaber from NY, USA

The characters in Mike Leigh's films live in different, often isolated worlds. Some haltingly, painfully attempt to communicate and relate to one another. Others just blindly or blithely drift by. There is some caring, often much misunderstanding. In Leigh's later films the characters come to some reconciliation, but there is no such relief for them here. The movie is, true to its name, bleak.

Tom Noonan's "What Happened Was", which is highly recommended to anyone who likes this film, is really a working out of one critical "coffee and sherry" scene in Bleak Moments.

One of the best films I've seen in recent years. 10/10

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Very good early Mike Leigh movie is heavy on pathos., 25 January 2007
7/10
Author: fedor8 (fedor8@yahoo.com) from Serbia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Awkward Moments". Or how about "Awkward Silences". And when the awkward silences get broken they usually get replaced by awkward, stilted conversations which reveal the full extent and depth of the repression of the movie's English characters. Mike Leigh's second(?) movie is full of his trademark shy, exaggeratedly timid, and not at all well-adjusted people; he shows their "bleak" lives with some rather heavy pathos. Pure pathos, in the case of this particular movie, in fact. There are only a few funnier moments; it is hard to laugh at all the characters, as sadly comical as they may be.

The inability of most characters to interact with their fellow humans in a relaxed manner is best shown in a very long scene with Raitt and the teacher whom she attempts to go out with (though God knows why); Raitt and the teacher just sit there, barely exchange words, and then Raitt tries to break the wall of British reserve between them by attempting to make both herself and him drunk. What follows shortly after she gets a little tipsy is an awkward (there's that word again) attempt by her to get physical with the teacher. Alas, she apparently didn't get HIM drunk enough: he barely manages to kiss her - and very briefly - after which he retreats like a frightened school-boy. The teacher was actually after Raitt's mentally-retarded (but cute) sister, Stephenson, but she, in turn, doesn't want any part of him. Stephenson is infatuated with an extremely shy, hippie guitar player. This guy is so repressed that he can barely accept any kind of invitation of hospitality by Raitt.

I don't know if Leigh did this on purpose, or whether I am over-analyzing the film, but I see an implied connection between Stephenson and the other characters in the following way: she is retarded and does not speak at all, but the other characters - due to their repressed Britishness - are just as unable to communicate as she is. Whether or not Leigh included this bit of subtle irony on purpose is secondary. I cannot understand, though, why he cast such an attractive woman (Raitt) to play such a lonely woman. She is so lonely that her desperation leads her to want to go after the teacher, who is humourless, even MORE repressed than she is, and by far not good-looking enough for her. In reality, a woman with her looks would have suitors literally chasing her on the street. Nevertheless, this being the only "flaw", the movie is an original, well-made, terrifically acted melancholic piece that is practically as good as most of Leigh's best films.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant, insightful film, 18 January 2003
10/10
Author: Sergey Goldgaber from NY, USA

Mike Leigh is much more effective in "Bleak Moments" than his later, more popular efforts like "Secrets and Lies". The latter lacks much of the intensity and focus of this film.

The characters in Mike Leigh's films live in different, often isolated worlds. Some haltingly, painfully attempt to communicate and relate to one another. Others just blindly or blithely drift by. There is some caring, often much misunderstanding. In Leigh's later films the characters come to some reconciliation, but there is no such escape for them here. The movie is, true to its name, bleak.

Tom Noonan's "What Happened Was", which is highly recommended to anyone who likes this film, is really a working out of one critical "coffee and sherry" scene in Bleak Moments.

One of the best films I've seen in recent years. 10/10

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Awkward Moments, 13 April 2009
8/10
Author: Ted R from United States

Mike Leigh is the undisputed king of the awkward moment. He takes a this cinematic staple and extrapolates it into clenching agonies of time. In some of his films, Leigh allows the unease to build up to a crescendo, and in other films he simply lets it simmer. It's safe to say the awkward silence is something of a Leigh trademark, and in this film we are given a searing, painful stretch involving five pathologically shy people.

Sylvia is an attractive yet shy working-class woman caring for her mentally disabled sister, Hilda. Her well-meaning harridan of a workmate pitches in to help from time to time, but Sylvia knows this woman is a credulous boob. There's a teacher down the street, also shy to the point of being socially inept. He likes Hilda, but that dog won't hunt, so he takes a shine to Sylvia.

Will either of these two break through their timidity? Will anyone get face to face and come down to brass tacks? If Leigh's vision of stodgy English reserve and working class ennui has anything to say about it, we can assume it's not likely...

This slow and bleak film isn't for everyone, but it helps one understand the foundations that Leigh created early in his career.

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Leigh's Early Masterpiece, 5 September 2005
10/10
Author: OsbourneRuddock from North Wales, UK.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This was Mike Leigh's first feature length film, and to my mind remains one of his most powerful. I'm afraid I must disagree with other reviewers who refer to this film as a period piece or merely "a slice of social history". This film like many of Mike's other films is about the breakdown in personal communication within an increasingly alienated society, and as such is more relevant now than ever before. However in Bleak Moments this breakdown of communication results in a peculiarly British or English form of repression -virtually all the characters are introverted or repressed in some way. The theme of communication throughout the film is made obvious in a scene where a character discusses the author Marshall Mcluhan and his theory that in mass media the real message is in the method of communication. The lack of meaningful communication and silence in these peoples lives is reflected in the fact that there is no external music in the film. Like most 'Dogme' films the only music to be found is made by the characters in the film - in this case Norman playing his guitar.

The film revolves around the pleasant but withdrawn character of Sylvia (played by Anne Raitt) Lonely and always dressed in black she lives in a dreary suburban area with her handicapped sister Hilda (Sarah Stephenson) who she cares for. During the film Sylvia befriends a very nervous hippie from Scunthorpe called Norman (Mike Bradwell) who is renting her garage. But perhaps the most disturbed character is the chronically repressed and somewhat misanthropic school teacher Peter (Eric Allan). One senses that Sylvia and Peter both desire some sort of intimate relationship with each other, but that the level of communication and emotional development required for such personal involvement would make it unlikely to develop.

The truly astonishing thing about this film is how they succeed in taking this depiction of repression and nervousness to such an extreme level without it becoming farcical, and also retain well rounded and believable characters. This is due in large part to the strength of the acting, which Mike always manages to get from his talented performers. The characters inner worlds are shown not so much through speech but through their physicality and above all their facial expressions. We may never meet people quite as repressed or introverted as these characters, but the directors purpose in accentuating these tendencies is to make clearer the dangers and shortcomings of such tendencies.

Finally, although the film title is appropriate, and the awkwardness of the characters is often difficult to watch, the film is not without humour. In fact watching this the second time around i found myself roaring with laughter occasionally. We are not, however, invited to laugh at them in a cruel way, rather they make us laugh in the same way that real people's idiosyncrasies can make us laugh. I strongly recommend viewing this film. A masterpiece in my opinion, and a work of tremendous psychological depth.

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A sensitive approach, 25 April 2000
8/10
Author: jackie negus (davidjack@negusd.fsnet.co.uk) from st Leonards-on-sea

Having been a Fan of Mike Leigh for many years I was pleased to have the opportunity to see this early film. I saw this recently as part of a Mike Leigh season on the television. I work with adults with learning difficulties and think the subject was dealt with in a very sensitive way. This film shows how demanding it would be caring for someone like this full time at home. The carer doesn't get much of a life of her own (apart from when her work friend kindly babysits ), but loves her sister and wants to help her, she wants what is best for her. She is completely unselfish and loving. Her work friend is living with a miserable and ungrateful mother who is driving her mad but the same mother gets on very well with Hilda(the retarded sister)so she can't be all bad. I thought the Man who rented the garage to play his music was lovely, he kindly came and played music to Hilda which she loved. Plus he was company for Silvia. I thought this was a lovely film with some very good acting and a moving story.

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An excellent film, 14 May 1999
Author: Sami Mansoor (sami1701@yahoo.com) from Hull, UK

Bleak Moments, by Mike Leigh, is an outstanding piece of modern cinema. The characterisation in his first film for the big screen is rich, and as always Leigh mixes the serious and dramatic elements of his film with realism and humour. The film focuses on a woman caring for her mentally retarded sister whilst trying to strike up a relationship with an inhibited schoolteacher. The film avoids unnecessary sentimentality; the relationship between the characters seems as much taken from reality as from dramatic creation.

Some of the film's inherent humour is tremendous, but most noticeable is its accurate but dramatic portrayal of life through the characters' eyes. Mike Leigh may have made more accessible films later on, but this is as good as any of his later works.

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Mind-numbingly boring., 30 September 2009
1/10
Author: manxman-1 from bahamas

Saw this movie when it first came out in the 1970's and hated, hated, hated it! Easily the most booooring movie I have ever seen in my life. Don't know where Leigh got his inspiration but this is one of those movies where you want to shake the characters to get them to open their mouths and communicate. The title says it all because there are no saving moments in this movie, just long, long silences with people unable to articulate what they are (presumably) feeling. If you want to watch something that will drive you to drink then this is the one for you. If you have nothing better to do for two hours then stick a fork in a toaster: the experience will be infinitely more pleasurable than anything you will get from this! Yes, Leigh came up with a lot of really worthwhile stuff much later in his career but give this one a miss.

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2 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Erik Satie as film, 2 April 2006
10/10
Author: whist from United States

a.k.a Loving Moments – and this seems the better title. The story is moving and full of quiet humor. Let's just say, from soup to nuts. Moreover, Sylvia, the sensitive bookish main character, is able to see the humor in the situations she encounters. Anne Rait, who plays Sylvia, is gorgeous. Her luminous smile, her sometimes furrowed brow, her tightly drawn-back black hair, her tentativeness, her quiet strength – no problems watching her for 100 minutes – and the director does his utmost to capture her charm and her latent emotions on film. For me, this film is not about people who fail to make relationships, but simply about people and relationships.

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1 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Thank goodness Mike Leigh improved after this one, 2 February 2003
5/10
Author: ian_harris from London, England

Mike Leigh is on record saying this film is slow. He is right.

This film is set and was at least partly filmed on location in the suburb of my upbringing - Streatham, in South London. In fact, I passed much of the tedious time looking out for myself in my cub scouts uniform during the external shots. (No luck).

I am a great fan of Mike Leigh and thank goodness he improved after this movie, but this is just too slow, torture in fact. In particular, the characters are all so shy and/or unable to express their feelings, the film is unable to go anywhere at all. So it doesn't.

At least the film is not in breach of the Trade Descriptions Act. It has its moments but they are all too few and my gosh they're bleak.

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