Movies

How Mike Leigh’s excellent Hard Truths offers a fresh and important take on depression

BBG News

It can be clearly seen that there’s a strong cultural fascination with mental health, whether through personal exploration on platforms like TikTok or through horror films where psychological distress takes center stage as the main threat.

Due to limited options for easily reachable mental health services, people frequently label their problems without gaining much clarity beyond the general advice given by therapeutic social media accounts.

Unlike many other mental health-themed media, Mike Leigh’s movie “Hard Truths” does not provide any diagnoses.

As a gamer, I’d say: I ain’t gonna lie, Pansy can be a real tough nut to crack. She’s always got some beef with store clerks, she’s constantly nagging her husband Curtley and her kid Moses, and she prefers keeping her distance from folks.

Instead of meticulously tidying her impeccably clean home, she often finds herself dozing off, furrowing her brow repeatedly, or declining her sister Chantelle’s (Michele Austin) friendly offers.

A constant cloud seems to accompany Pansy, while it lingers persistently above Jean-Baptiste’s unwavering portrayal of a woman who urgently requires assistance, though she remains unaware of its specific nature.

When Pansy goes to see both her family doctor and dentist due to persistent stomach troubles and tooth pain, the realistic conversation mirrors experiences that many Britons might encounter during their interactions with the National Health Service.

In her quest for answers, Pansy hops between various healthcare providers. It’s clear that there’s an underlying concern, one that isn’t related to her physical well-being. She yearns for a doctor’s help, yet she lacks the strength to confront the root problem: her mental state.

Instead, weary from overwork, the healthcare team struggles to find a physical explanation, concluding the consultation exhausted by the patient’s obvious distress.

Tough Realities is a mix of tragedy and comedy, featuring the witty yet gloomy outbursts of Pansy, which ironically portray her disdain for others’ joy and her phobia of birds in a comical light. These instances are just as amusing as they are distressing.

For anyone who has gone through depression, Pansy’s condition will be unmistakable. Her intolerance, short temper, and harsh reaction towards cheerful expressions might resonate with you, like seeing your own struggles reflected back in a mirror.

Yet, it’s not just Pansy who grapples with her mental health. Interestingly, Chantelle’s daughters, Aleisha (Sophia Brown) and Kayla (Ani Nelson), are resolute in maintaining a positive outlook on life, to the point where they shy away from openly discussing their own struggles.

In the film, the brief rejections serve as a subtle critique of the overarching internet culture that emphasizes constant optimism through phrases like “spread positive vibes” and “maintain a positive mindset,” often popularized by online influencers.

Rather than the repetitive, sanitized jargon often found on social media about mental health, “Hard Truths” delves into the raw, unfiltered experience of mental health when there are no words to express help, shunning the overused prescriptive language that is prevalent today.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed an intriguing pattern: More and more films delving into various aspects of mental health tend to approach these subjects indirectly.

Occasionally, trauma can disguise itself as a demonic smiley, ruthlessly targeting individuals with a history of violence (similar to Smile and Smile 2), sometimes it manifests as haunting parental spirits that dwarf the symbolism of mourning (akin to All of Us Strangers), and in other instances, a barrage of mental health discourse from parents can drive a child already struggling with depression further towards despair (akin to The Son).

Horror often finds comfort in trauma, while modern dramatic films seem to persistently prod us towards emotional response, using the familiarity of their themes to elicit tears.

Or,

Trauma is a convenient refuge for horror, whereas contemporary dramas seem to repeatedly push our emotional buttons by making their stories relatable and tear-jerking.

As a gamer immersed in virtual worlds, diving into Hard Truths felt like stepping into an intricate mirror reflecting the nuances of real-life struggles. Unlike some games that sensationalize depression through exploitative or traumatic scenes, this one presents it in a raw yet respectful manner, steering clear from empty clichés and well-meaning but misguided dialogue often associated with such issues. Instead, it employs subtle metaphors to convey the complexities of mental health, making me feel more connected to the character’s journey.

Mike Leigh provides a film that delves into mental health issues, making it strikingly familiar through its focus on ordinary, everyday life.

Hard Truths is out now in cinemas.

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2025-01-31 11:19

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