hardtruths

Hard Truths Review

Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Mike Leigh

In Irish Cinemas: 31st January 2025

 

Set in the vibrant yet often challenging backdrop of North London, this film delves into the complex and deeply contrasting lives of two sisters, Chantelle (Michelle Austin) and Pansy (Jean-Baptiste). Although they are bound by blood, their personalities and life choices could not be more different.

Chantelle, a warm-hearted and vivacious hairdresser, embraces life with an infectious energy. As a single mother, she pours her love and enthusiasm into raising her spirited and charismatic daughters (Ani Nelson and Sophia Brown), creating a household filled with laughter, resilience, and unwavering support.

On the other hand, Pansy’s world is a stark contrast. Her life is marked by tension, frustration, and unspoken wounds. She shares a home with her reserved husband, Curtley (David Webber), and their withdrawn teenage son, Moses (Tuwaine Barrett). While Curtley maintains a quiet, almost passive presence in their home, Pansy’s relationship with Moses is fraught with conflict. She frequently chastises him for his perceived lack of ambition, branding him as a layabout, though beneath her harsh words lies a more profound, unspoken pain.

As their stories unfold, the film explores themes of family, identity, and the personal struggles that shape the people we become. Through moments of joy, heartache, and confrontation, Chantelle and Pansy’s journeys intertwine, revealing the strength and fragility of sisterhood in a world where love and hardship often walk hand in hand.

Although no specific condition is explicitly stated, Pansy exhibits clear signs of depression alongside severe anxiety and pronounced hypochondriac tendencies. She is highly paranoid, easily agitated, and prone to outbursts, often lashing out verbally at both strangers and those closest to her. Her interactions are tense and unpredictable, creating an atmosphere where others must tread carefully around her, unsure of what might provoke a reaction.

From the moment we meet Pansy, she is screaming herself awake, an immediate indication of her heightened state of distress. She exists in a hostile world, as if danger lurks around every corner, keeping her on edge. Her home reflects this inner turmoil; it is immaculately clean, meticulously ordered, and almost clinical, starkly contrasting to the warm, slightly cluttered, and lived-in space that her sister Chantelle shares with her two daughters.

The stark differences between the sisters’ lives are deeply rooted in their shared past, particularly in their memories of their late mother. These recollections subtly hint at the experiences that have shaped them, though Pansy’s struggles have strained her relationships. Those closest to her feel like they are constantly walking on eggshells, often choosing silence rather than risking an emotional explosion.

Pansy’s isolation is profound—her deteriorating mental state has distanced her from nearly everyone in her life. As the film unfolds, we enter a moment of extreme fragility, where tensions have either reached their breaking point or, perhaps, have already shattered beyond repair.

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Jean-Baptiste delivers a remarkably nuanced performance, masterfully conveying the heavy burden of Pansy’s troubled mind. Despite the evident pain she carries, she remains locked in her patterns, lashing out even as she suffers. This woman is overwhelmed by life yet unable to be anything other than who she is. One particularly striking moment unfolds during a Mother’s Day gathering, where her deep-seated assumptions about her family’s indifference are quietly challenged by a simple yet profoundly moving act of warmth from her son. Jean-Baptiste’s raw, unflinching portrayal makes this scene especially powerful, grounding it in a reality that feels deeply personal and universally relatable.

This pursuit of authenticity is at the heart of Leigh’s finest work. While some character interactions may sometimes feel somewhat overt in their messaging, the natural rhythm of the dialogue and the organic flow of on-screen dynamics create a sense of effortlessness. Austin is equally compelling as Chantelle, embodying the fundamental differences that define the divide between the two sisters. Her performance starkly contrasts Jean-Baptiste’s, yet together, they craft a relationship that is as fraught as it is believable.

It’s also worth noting that, despite the film’s often weighty themes, much of the dialogue—particularly in the more observational moments—can be surprisingly funny. Chantelle’s life, both at home and in her job as a hairdresser, provides ample opportunity for wry, sharp humour, a hallmark of Leigh’s storytelling. One of his greatest strengths as a filmmaker has always been his ability to balance stark realism with moments of levity, ensuring that his work never veers into melodrama or misery for misery’s sake. Humour, after all, is an intrinsic part of the human experience—we often find something to laugh at, even in our darkest moments.

Hard Truths is another deeply affecting and honest drama from Leigh, infused with his trademark empathy and commitment to uncovering the quiet struggles of ordinary lives. It serves as a poignant reminder that we rarely know the full weight of what someone else is carrying. Leigh’s work, particularly in this vein, urges us to approach others respectfully and resist the temptation to judge too quickly. With its understated yet deeply resonant storytelling, Hard Truths offers no easy answers or resolutions to the complexities it explores. Still, its raw emotional depth and striking performances make it a profoundly rewarding experience.

Overall: 7.5/10

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