Watch Career Girls For Free

the audience applauded

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

A remarkably cohesive and concise look at friendship, memory and the passing of time, Mike Leigh's beautifully told film explores these themes in such an effective manner that it is hard to believe so much can be said in a mere 80 minutes. It makes most American films seem flabby and overly tedious.Two outstanding performances lay at the center of this story as we are taken into the lives both past and present of Hannah and Annie, college roommates reunited for a weekend. This perfectly ordinary setup is fodder for Leigh to work his magic in dissecting, this time via multiple flashbacks, how these two came to rely so heavily on one another as well as the long-term effects of their relationship as it weathers various problems, especially men.Ultimately, here Leigh has crafted a portrait of friendship and loyalty so alarmingly realistic and straightforward that it may come across as too contrived or preposterous for some. Indeed, there are several huge coincidences that must take place in order for the necessary conclusion. However, these never come across as overtly nice and neat and the end result indeed justifies everything that has come before it. Regardless of whatever they encounter, Hannah and Annie will remain as close as they can. After all, without each other who would they have and who else do they need?

I quite enjoy re-playing Mike Leigh's older films, this time reviewing them and admittedly, Career Girls was far from being my (or, it seems, most other people's) first choice.I'd recorded mine from Film4's broadcast, just before the release of his latest 'Another Year' the advantage being Mr Leigh introduced it himself and said that it was often overlooked and he wasn't quite sure why. I had seen it myself on a couple of occasions before, most probably on the same channel and always quite liked it. It's not my favourite but always found it better once fully immersed.Is that because I'm a bloke, who never went to Uni and never had to flat-share, but there again, the 80s and 90s were formative years for me too.Anyway, as is usual with almost Leigh films, the opening few minutes always seem to have annoying characters that we really rather not share any time with, doing their best (worst?) to put us off. However, once we get used to them and their strange, odd ways, they become part of our screen lives and as if they were people we actually know, we put up with their annoying aspects and revel in their good, Leigh's folk are very human, almost TOO much so.So, Leigh's purpose was to show how passages of time, circumstance and education, plus friendship can follow in both predictive and unpredicted ways with the reunion of two Uni classmates ten years later, with frequent, but obvious, flashbacks to the student years, we can see how people can change. Side by side, the contrasts are very marked, almost too much so, but as we usually witness our friends forming slowly, year by year, who's to say that Leigh is not right?There's a smaller pool of main characters than with the better Leighs, and as with say, the later but even less good Happy Go Lucky, there is less respite from the obnoxious and smaller variety in which to spice up the story.Oddly, considering it's the female lead characters that Leigh is championing it's the two male leads that we see regularly on TV and cinema screen these days - Mark Benton as the twitchy, overweight Goth who gets to know them in student digs but always finds solace and comfort in food instead of confronting fears, including women; these two women. And Andy Serkis, who Leigh says he made as an opposite to Benton's sweet nature as possible and in Serkis, we have a 'disgusting pig' as Leigh refers to him. Both chauvinist and arrogant he could be seen as the ultimate product of the Thatcherite Yuppie years and again, typically Leigh, he doesn't portray this subtly and quite rightly, we want to leave his company as quickly as possible but perhaps more importantly, want our 'girls' to, as well. There are lots of comedic takes on Serkis' lifestyle 'choices' and this does lighten the emotional load.The two female leads, Katrin Cartlidge and Lynda Steadman though do not seem to be gracing our screens at all right now, though Cartlidge did feature in Leigh's Topsy Turvy (1999) and previously in the excellent Naked(Leigh's best film, probably) from 1993. Steadman seemed to have been in TV dramas about then but - all according to IMDb - nothing since 2003.Maybe Mike Leigh has made too much out of political and economic markers to make us really care for any of the people here. Yes, they're engaging with their character traits and whilst we sort of feel a part of their world, albeit briefly, we don't necessarily want to be. However, there are some nice down to earth and more reflective moments, they are just a bit too far between to be make the film totally enjoyable.

Secrets and Lies is my favourite movie so I was keen to see this. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on any level - the plot is unbelieveable and contrived, and the characters a little annoying. All of this is a bit surprising given Leigh's other movies.

Throughly enjoyed this movie.Katrin Cartlidge and Linda Steadman are wonderful. The person who played Ricky, Mark Benton, gave a very powerful performance.Thoroughly recommended for people who like gritty human drama.Only downside was the unbelievable co-incidences of bumping into people from their past all in one day in London. It is a mighty big city.