Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Life Is Sweet Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 2, 2017

Mike Leigh's "Life Is Sweet" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive new video interview with actress Jane Horrocks; Mike Leigh's short film "A Running Jump"; collection of original production stills: and more. The release also arrives with 16-page illustrated booklet featuring writings on the film by Ashley Clark and Will Massa, as well as technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Family time

Mike Leigh’s Life Is Sweet tiptoes the fine line that separates comedy and drama. At times the film is irresistibly funny, especially when the main characters in it question and confront each other, but other times it is seriously depressing. It is the type of film which some people would want to see only once because it perfectly sums up their lives - and these lives are anything but sweet.

The film follows closely a working-class family in a suburb somewhere in the north of London. Around these parts people have low-paying jobs, drive old cars and spend plenty of time dreaming. But Andy (Jim Broadbent, Iris, Moulin Rouge!) and Wendy (Alison Steadman, Topsy-Turvy) have stopped dreaming – they have created the family they wanted and are pleased with what they have. Occasionally they struggle, but together they always find a way to keep the family afloat.

Andy and Wendy’s twins, however, are not pleased with what they have. The quiet Natalie (Claire Skinner, Naked) wants to travel and see the world. She also would not mind having a boyfriend, but not one as kooky as her sister’s lover (David Thewlis, Mr. Nice). The perpetually angry Nicola (Jane Horrocks, Memphis Belle) just wants to be a different person - with a different body, with a different family, living a different life in a different country. Despite her parents insisting otherwise, Nicola is convinced that she was a mistake that should have never happened, which is why she no longer likes to eat.

Often visiting the family is Aubrey (Timothy Spall, The Damned United, The Sheltering Sky), an ambitious loner who plans to open a chic French bistro in the neighborhood. His menu will include tripe souffle, kidney vol-au-vent, chilled brains, pork cyst, and duck in chocolate sauce.

Shortly after Aubrey opens his bistro, Andy breaks his ankle, Natalie announces that she is going on vacation to America, and Nicola begins to suspect that her parents may actually like her.

Mike Leigh’s Life Is Sweet is a strikingly real film. The main characters in it look and most of the time act like people we all know. They are imperfect, vulnerable and naïve individuals whose lives follow a predictable route.

The charm of the film comes from the sense of freedom it exudes. At times it feels like a documentary feature – after Leigh introduces the main characters he simply steps back and begins observing their daily triumphs and failures. Their casualness is the film’s greatest strength.

A few of the obviously improvised sequences, however, are disappointingly melodramatic. The worst ones are with Spall’s loner, whose cartoonish behavior pushes the film into an entirely new territory. Balance is quickly restored when he disappears, but the over-the-top acting is indeed quite disappointing.

The film looks appropriately raw and unpretentious. There are no fancy camera zooms, quick cuts or jumps. But the camera isn’t static either – it follows closely but carefully the protagonists it is most interested in observing. The film was lensed by Leigh’s longtime cinematographer, Dick Pope (Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy).

The lovely soundtrack for Life Is Sweet was composed by Rachel Portman (Benny & Joon, Chocolat).

*: In 1992, Life Is Sweet won ALFS Award for British Film of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Life Is Sweet Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Mike Leigh's Life Is Sweet arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the BFI.

The release appears to have been sourced from the same recent 2K remaster of the film that Criterion used for the North American release, so the basic characteristics that we typically address in our reviews are indeed practically identical. Indeed, delineation, clarity, and depth are all the same; the color palette also has the same primaries and ranges of nuances. There are no traces of problematic degrainig or sharpening adjustments. Image stability is also excellent. The only difference that I spotted while viewing the film was the presence of some surface patches that must have been introducing during the encoding process. The most obvious examples are during daylight footage. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Life Is Sweet Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been fully remastered and depth, clarity and overall balance are very good. Dynamic intensity is limited, but as I mentioned in our review of the Criterion release the film's original sound design hardly impressive. There are no audio dropouts, distracting background hiss, or digital distortions to report.

Life Is Sweet Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for the film. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of original production stills.

• Audio Commentary - this very informative audio commentary has one of the most unusual introductions that I have ever heard recorded by a director. Mike Leigh quickly sums up the entire film using a number of different terms and then proceeds to discuss its production history. The British director also talks about his relationship with cinematographer Dick Pope, the unique relationships in the film, etc. The commentary was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2013, and initially appeared on the North American release.

• An Interview with Jane Horrocks - in this brand new video interview, actress Jane Horrocks (Nicola) recalls her work on Life Is Sweet with Mike Leigh and discusses the film's lasting appeal. The interview was conducted by Will Massa for the BFI. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• The Guardian Lecture: Mike Leigh Interviewed by Derek Malcolm - in this archival interview, director Mike Leigh answers a series of questions about the social themes in Life Is Sweet, its characters and sense of humor, as well as its production history. Audio only. (62 min).

• A Running Jump (2012) - presented here is Mike Leigh's short film A Running Jump which was made for the 2012 Olympics program. Starring Eddie Marsan, Samantha Spiro, Sam Kelly, Lee Ingleby, and Nicole Bird. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (36 min).

• Booklet - 16-page illustrated booklet featuring Ashley Clark's essay "The Spall Appall: Food and Failure in Life Is Sweet"; John Pym's "Life Is Sweet: A Contemporary Review"; Will Massa's "A Family Warm-Up"; and technical credits.

Life Is Sweet Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This recent release of Mike Leigh's Life Is Sweet is sourced from the same 2K restoration that Criterion used for the earlier North American release. There are some different bonus features on it that might be of interest to fans of the film and Mike Leigh's work. RECOMMENDED.