My opinion of High Hopes by Mike Leigh

On Tuesday the 29^th of January we watched High Hopes a movie by Mike Leigh. This movie was very interesting because it gave a view into how London has changed and how certain social classes are treated throughout time.

            The movie started off rather slow and I didn’t really understand the point of the first character we met, Wayne. I suppose that his point was just to show that there was very little work for someone without a college degree. But I didn’t understand why they sent him away in the middle with the movie without him somehow overcoming that obstacle. In my opinion, that part seamed like a sub-plot that maybe could’ve been left out or shown in a different way. My favorite character in the movie was Cyril’s girlfriend Shirley she was hilarious and seamed like a very genuine person.  I enjoyed how they were so comfortable being in poverty and that to them they didn’t care that they didn’t have much money. It their eyes it wasn’t about having money or status it was all about being happy and supporting their community. Then in stark contrast to them was Cyril’s sister, Valerie. She lived in a very upscale neighborhood married to a used car salesman and seemingly had everything that she could want. Yet as you find out later in the movie she was very unhappy.

            What has more value money or happiness? This question is what I took to be the main point of this movie. You see two vastly different life style’s between Cyril and Valerie. Valerie having everything she wants but not enough, Cyril having not enough but everything he wants. Without money Cyril and Shirley are happy they love each other and make due with what they have. Their concerns are about helping their community and making the world a better place. Valerie on the other hand, cares about no one but her self (she doesn’t even care about her own mother) and because of this she is in capable of being happy. I believe that the more you love and care for other people that more happiness you bring to yourself. I think that we could all take away from this movie is that if we cared a little less about money and a little more about each other then as a group we can be happier and lift each other up.