According to Mike Leigh, it’s “very likely” that Tender Loving Care is his last film. His unique approach to filmmaking, based on workshops and improvisation, has earned him Oscars, BAFTAs, two Palmes D’Or and numerous other accolades, as well as a reputation as one of the UK’s most significant modern directors. And, while we hate to say goodbye, it’s a genuine pleasure to say he’s leaving on a high.

Amy (Kate O’Flynn), a social worker who cares for vulnerable young people, has just moved in with her best friend, Rosie (Alice Bailey Johnson). She’s in the same profession, but working mainly with the elderly, and the two are over the moon to be sharing – Amy especially, as she’s just split up with her obnoxious boyfriend. Outside work, she’s also devoted to her parents (Marion Bailey and Paul Jesson, both Leigh regulars from Vera Drake and Mr Turner), popping in for what feels like an endless stream of tea. But beneath the laughter, things aren’t quite what they seem: Amy is reluctant to admit that her relationship fizzled out, while her mum is fretful about her husband’s increasingly hazy memory.

The film marks a distinct shift in tone from Leigh’s previous offering, the abrasive and deeply sad Hard Truths. The jokes, impromptu songs and general jollity initially seem to hark back to his gentler titles such as Another Year, but it doesn’t take long to realise that, while some of the laughter and giggles are genuinely positive, others are more of a veneer to conceal the realities the small, close-knit group are facing. And it’s down to the women to shoulder the practicalities and stress generated by the current and future changes in their circumstances. Everybody in the film has their own story, including the people Rosie and Amy are trying to help.

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For Rosie, there’s the silent old man in hospital who eventually “does a runner” and the chaotic elderly lady who is convinced her neighbour is targeting her, while Amy makes slow progress with a teenager who’s convinced his mother has rejected him, and is getting nowhere fast with a young woman whose drink problem has meant her three children are in care and unlikely to return.

The family story at the heart of Tender Loving Care is set against a gloomy backdrop of a social care system which is splitting at the seams, making Rosie and Amy’s continued ability to genuinely care nothing short of miraculous. But, despite their intentions, the system as it stands doesn’t allow them to provide the help they long to give. Leigh leaves us in no doubt of his opinions on the subject, and we wouldn’t expect anything less. The overall tone of the film, though, is mellow and reflective, even though there’s no escaping the inevitability of the future for all the characters. The same applies to the audience as well, and it’s all underlined by two silently moving final sequences.

As ever, he coaxes beautifully judged performances from his cast, especially from Bailey with her determination to be cheerful, while the friendship between O’Flynn and Bailey Johnson flows effortlessly off the screen. If, as it seems, Tender Loving Care is the director’s last feature, his unique style and insight will be more than sorely missed. It’s irreplaceable.

★★★★

Playing at the BFI London Film Festival on 15^th, 17^th and 18^th October / Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, Kate O’Flynn, Alice Bailey Johnson, Tilly Vosburgh, Brid Brennan, Peter Wight / Dir: Mike Leigh / StudioCanal

About the Author

Freda Cooper

Editor

Freda is a Senior Writer at The People's Movies. A lifelong movie fan and a film critic for over ten years, Freda’s natural habitat is the darkened rooms frequented by fellow cineastes. She can also be found asking questions of some of the biggest names in the business – from Cate Blanchett to Daniel Craig or Mike Leigh to Pete Docter – or crafting reviews for a number of sites and publications, including The People’s Movies. And listeners to BBC Local Radio can catch her views on the latest releases. She always – and probably always will – cite The Third Man as her favourite film of all time. Her top ten? That’s a moveable feast …..

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