london, england,working class,class differences,family,elderly lady

High Hopes (1989)

Poster for High Hopes

Slice-of-life look at a sweet working-class couple in London, Shirley and Cyril, his mother, who's aging quickly and becoming forgetful, mum's ghastly upper-middle-class neighbors, and Cyril's pretentious sister and philandering husband. Shirley wants a baby, but Cyril, who reads Marx and wants the world to be perfect, is reluctant. Cyril's mum locks herself out and must ask her snooty neighbors for help. Then Cyril's sister Valerie stages a surprise party for mum's 70th birthday, a disaster from start to finish. Shirley holds things together, and she and Cyril may put aside her Dutch cap after all.

Cast & Crew

Director
Mike Leigh
  • Profile picture of Phil Davis
    Cyril Bender Phil Davis
  • Profile picture of Ruth Sheen
    Shirley Ruth Sheen
  • Profile picture of Edna Doré
    Mrs Bender Edna Doré
  • Profile picture of Philip Jackson
    Martin Burke Philip Jackson
  • Profile picture of Heather Tobias
    Valerie Heather Tobias
  • Profile picture of Lesley Manville
    Lætitia Boothe-Brain Lesley Manville
  • Profile picture of David Bamber
    Rupert Boothe-Brain David Bamber
  • Profile picture of Jason Watkins
    Wayne Jason Watkins

Recommendations

  • Poster for Alfie
  • Poster for The Devil's Double
  • Poster for Hana
  • Poster for Autumn Leaves
  • Poster for Juwanna Mann
  • Poster for The Green
  • Poster for Bliain
  • Poster for The Power of the Dog

Keywords

  • london, england
  • working class
  • class differences
  • family
  • elderly lady