I'm certainly no expert when it comes to Mike Leigh's films, but I've seen a few (Secrets & Lies, Life is Sweet, Career Girls) and have always appreciated the rich character studies that he does so well. Another Year is no exception, though more so than his earlier works, he moves further away from plot development and deeper into characters and relationships.

Another Year introduces us to Tom and Gerri (Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen, respectively), a happily married, middle-aged couple who are comfortably living their days together in their quaint London home, where they care for a plot in the neighborhood pea patch and go to their jobs every day. Gerri is a counselor and Tom is a geologist. Other characters move in and out of the story as they visit the home of Tom and Gerri.

Their most regular guest is Mary (Lesley Manville), a secretary who works in the medical facility where Gerri works. I'm fairly certain that Manville was channeling Brenda Blethyn's character from Secrets & Lies — a neurotic, hyperactive, self-conscious mess of a person. Gerri seems to be friends with Mary out of pity, and the rest of the family seem to find her an amusing character to have around.

Other friends and family come into the story, each with their own troubles and personalities. Most are somewhat demoralized by the hand life has dealt them, though there are a couple of happy, well-adjusted people who make their way into the story. One of them is the new girlfriend to Tom and Gerri's only child, Joe. The first time Tom and Gerri meet Katie, Mary is present and causes a terrible rift that is the closest thing to a climax the movie has to offer.

At two hours and ten minutes, this is a long film in which almost nothing happens. Personally, I find Leigh's portrayal of terribly real and sympathetic characters to be a fascinating and worthwhile way to pass a quiet evening. But I offer fair warning to those who need plot points to keep their attention. You may find yourself taking a nice long nap.

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