The competitive film, Another Year, by Mike Leigh, received two thumbs up from the audience that walked out of the Grande Theatre Lumierethis Saturday morning. Leigh’s premier was an ensemble comedy drama that starredhis usual cast of Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, and Lesley Manville.Happiness and the passing of time are the themes that seem to percolate throughthe movie. One viewer expressed that Leigh seemed to display what doesn’tchange in our lives than what does change throughout his film. The Britishdirector and writer of the film focused on the long-term life of thecharacters, rather than short-term events. Concentrating on the role of alcoholin our social lives, self-awareness relating to our age, and what is passed onemotionally to our children. 

            Asusual, Leigh had created much anticipation for his film, Another Year, byrefusing to comment or disclose any information on the plot, before its debutat the Cannes Film Festival. The audience was forced to walk into the theatrewith no true vision in mind, luckily Leigh’s method worked off. “The audiencereacted very well to the dry British humor”, stated Mike Moroco, anEntertainment Tonight intern, who watched the film Saturday morning.  “It was very witty, but still very sad.Overall, I thought it was a very good film.” Another Year could have the potentialto create the same success as Mike Leigh’s previous 1986 film, Secrets and Liesthat won the Palme D’or during the Cannes Film Festival of 1986.

-Summer Hawkins/Lauren Ellison