High Hopes

Mike Leigh writes and directs this class struggle comedy drama portaying the intertwined lives of an extended family in London during the Thatcher years. The story follows bike messenger Cyril Bender (Philip Davis), his girlfriend Shirley (Ruth Sheen) and Cyril's ageing mother (Edna Dore), who lives in the last council house on her street next to the appallingly upper class Boothe-Braines (Lesley Manville and David Bamber). Cyril's consumerist sister and her car salesman husband join the family to throw a surprise 70th birthday party for Mrs. Bender but, despite their best intentions, the event descends into disaster.