The positively optimistic mood in Happy-Go-Lucky is infectious. Sally Hawkins gives a spectacular performance as the bubbly "Poppy" who continues to wear rose-colored glasses despite the drama surrounding her. It may annoy some, and it's a bit slow in parts, but I believe the world would be a better place if we had more people like Poppy in it.

I loved reading the poor reviews here, most are funnier than the film's script. I watched the film today and found the lead character very, very annoying. Poppy has a huge problem, she doesn't know when to shut up. In the opening scenes she goes into a book shop and keeps making inane remarks to the sales assistant despite their not engaging with her. I suppose we're to think that he's in the wrong, but we all agreed that she needed to shut up, browse and either buy a book or get out. What does she do? Just keeps prattling on and giggles. Get the point Poppy, the bloke is working. Then she discovers her bike has been stolen and says 'aww I didn't say goodbye'. Smile, giggle. It was then I realised that poor Poppy isn't necessarily happy go lucky, she's just two sandwiches short of a picnic, not the full shilling. And so the film continues with well, nothing happening. We see some great shots of London. One reviewer asks, ooh my gawd are all English streets so narrow? Hilarious. It's a residential area with beautiful victorian treelined streets and this is all they can say. NB: London is an historic city whose suburbs have streets of many widths. Just like any other city in the world.Poppy decides to learn to drive. Unfortunately she can't shut up long enough to listen to instructions. She giggles, gets distracted by squirrels, men, a bird, all whilst sending the poor instructor in a rage. By the third or fouth lesson he's in meltdown. Before the meltdown simple Poppy is shown at school, teaching. Yes despite being a simple soul she's a qualified teacher (god help those poor kids). She intervenes when a bully is discovered in her class, she seeks to discover what is causing the behaviour. Don't worry about the kids being bullied, they're forgotten. The bully is gently questioned and probably sent on a luxury holiday to discourage such behaviour. No more is said about that. Poppy visits her sister's lovely house, which she and her hubby are rightly proud of. Poppy continues driving lessons, has a date with a bloke, laughs, grins, giggles, points at things and..........well that's it. A very simple film portraying a very simple person who can't string a sentence together, makes odd sometimes inappropriate remarks and giggles. Such a strange, boring film. Kept waiting for something interesting to happen. It didn't. Oh nearly forgot the best scenes were when Poppy was trampolining. Just her silly face but no talking. Bliss

I'm not very good at reviewing movies like these, because they defy description by the usual methods. There isn't a definite plot, but there really is one. It's a comedy and a drama and an unnamed genre of film that has elements of both and none of those. It seems almost pointless at first, but it ends up being meaningful and captivating. Half the time I was bored and wanted to and watch something else, and the other half of the time I couldn't have been torn away. That's probably one of the biggest changes in opinion that I've ever had during the course of one film.I loved the latter half, but I thought the first half of the film was dangerously close to boring. In the beginning, Poppy seems to be happy and optimistic to the point of annoyance, like an overly frisky puppy that won't leave you alone when you've had a hard day at work. Oh, but give Mike Leigh and Sally Hawkins a little more time to work their magic. As the movie goes on, she stops being a caricature and becomes a living, breathing, wonderful person. The kind of person that adds so much more to the world than she takes away. Poppy made me examine myself, to see how optimistic and good-natured I really am. Nothing keeps her down for long, and even when her good intentions don't quite go the way she plans, she manages to make good decisions and do what's best for others. Poppy will go down in history as one of the most likable characters ever written.Sally Hawkins handles the role brilliantly. Similar to Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, there just is never a sense that she's acting. It all seems so natural. She's so authentically dorky and kind and silly that I almost wish that I knew a person exactly like her. It took me a while to warm up to Happy-Go-Lucky's particular charms, but I'm so happy that I gave myself the opportunity to. This movie is most certainly not for everyone, but I know that there's a good chance that anyone with an open mind will love it.

I am rating this film 10 out of 10 because Sally Hawkins manages to charm the pants off anybody who watches this film. It's buoyant, funny and a little bit sad in places (although not courtesy of the bubbly character of Poppy played by Hawkins) This is a refreshing change from other Mike Leigh films which are very hard hitting and at times really sad. This film is buoyant and funny and yet at times it also has a measure of sadness. There is a wily cleverness to Poppy, who is not only optimistic, she is able to assess and intuit the emotions of those around her. So rather than empty, bimbo-like optimism there is a lot of depth, compassion and likability to her character. Any relatively optimistic and chirpy person, who has experienced being brought down a few pegs by life, can relate to this movie. In a subtle way it reminds me of Amelie, but a very British version of it.