I don't understand you, but I love you

Continuing my trip up Empire's top 20 films of 2025

#12 :  Hard Truths

Mike Leigh's reunion with Marianne Jean-Baptiste, the actor who led his 1996 Palme d'Or winning drama Secrets & Lies, was always going to be something special. What makes Hard Truths such a must-see however is how extraordinarily ordinary it actually is. Jean-Baptiste is on firebrand form as Pansy, a reclusive middle-aged woman whose world-weariness scorches all around her (to often hilarious effect — her babies-and-pockets rant is an all-timer), but whose pain and bone-deep misery is plain for all — especially sister Chantelle (Michele Austin) — to see. Not always the easiest of watches, especially as Leigh has no interest in curing Pansy's bitterness with a syrupy Hollywood ending, Hard Truths is nevertheless an essential watch. It's human, raw, real: pure Mike Leigh.

I've taken quite a bit of time to get round to this one for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there's been some good telly around so I've actually been checking out stuff I want to watch for a change - it's like I'm leading a normal life. Secondly, I've heard that Marianne Jean-Baptiste is very good in this playing a woman so unpleasant that she's completely unloveable - so why would I want to watch that? But whilst I'd struggle to say I've loved the Mike Leigh films I've seen, I've very much admired them so I'm happy that we finally got to meet the lad - but I can't say I'd have watched this under other circumstances.

Well - what have we got here? Basically, one sister is not happy and one sister is happy - and the unhappy sister makes those around her pretty unhappy, even the happy ones. And that's pretty much it. There's not really anything you would consider as a plot and certainly nothing like a character arc - it feels more like an improvisation study where the actors have to stay in character whilst a set of (remarkably few) random events occurs. 

And Marianne Jean-Baptiste certainly stays in character, with Pansy being an extremely difficult personality - there are hints as to possible reasons for it, but it's very hard to work up any sympathy for her. Yes, it's a fine piece of acting, but it's a fine piece of acting I'd have been perfectly happy not seeing. Michele Austin as her sister Chantele is a much more watchable performance - I'd forgotten I'd seen her in This Is Going To Hurt but she's probably better known to most as a regular in The Bill. I'm going to name check David Webber, Tuwaine Barrett, Ani Nelson and Sophia Brown as well because they all do a reasonable job as the only other actors in more than a couple of scenes, but they're not given an awful lot to work with.  

It's well filmed, although it feels surprisingly polished at times, which wasn't what I was expecting from Mr Leigh. I also wasn't expecting such a black film to have been made by such a white dude - I'm interested as to why he went down that path. I can't comment on the general level of authenticity, but they all seemed like "real" people, if somewhat exaggerated for effect in places. One further expectation was more of a plot, and whilst I wasn't expecting it a barrel of laughs, I'm not sure it needed to be such a downer all the time. There is one glimmer of hope towards the end which I was pleased to see but Pansy's personality and the general levels of despair make it all a tricky watch (which took me quite a few settings to get through). 

So, overall, I really can't say this is a recommendation from me - it's well acted, but not in a way that makes a great deal of sense or enjoyment. If you still want to watch it then it's available to rent in all the usual locations, but I'd suggest if you fancy seeing Marianne Jean-Baptiste in a Mike Leigh film then there's really only option that makes any sense - and this isn't it (and Secrets & Lies will cost you exactly the same amount to rent).

#13 - Fine if you switch your brain off