Overwiew :An unrelentingly bleak drama from acclaimed director Mike Leigh, HARD LABOUR presents an extremely hopeless look at the life of an aging Englishwoman. The film graphically depicts the grinding daily routine of Mrs. Thornley (Liz Smith), an elderly wife and mother who works during the day cleaning the home of the wealthy, complaining Mrs. Stone (Vanessa Harris). When she returns to her own home, the abuse she suffers only increases--from her husband Jim (Clifford Kershaw), an alcoholic custodian who whines, bickers, and emotionally batters her, as well as from her daughter Ann (Polly Hemingway), who takes for granted everything her mother does for her. Even her daughter-in-law, Veronica (Alison Steadman), joins in on the abuse, making her life a constant grind of torture and turmoil. Clinging to religion as a blanket for her sorrows, she finally realizes that even the priest has no sympathy for her.
Leigh's film--at only 70 minutes--is one of the most emotionally exhausting character pieces ever committed to celluloid. Each character, unable to deal responsibly with their own personal discontent, instead lashes out at everyone else, creating a soundtrack of gripes, shouts, and moans that is guaranteed to make the viewer cringe and recoil.
