Another Year – Maybe it’s because Mike Leigh was a jerk when I spoke with him a few years ago, but I can’t watch his movies now without thinking how pretentious they come across. Another Year has many great moments that work, and the performances by Lesley Manville and Jim Broadbent are charming and wonderful, but all I see is Mr. Leigh thumbing his nose up at the audience chanting “I’m better than you are!” And it’s a real piss off, because I wanted to love Another Year as much as everyone else who all seem to be praising the hell out of it. The movie follows a happily married couple over the course of a year as all their friends and family fall apart around them. There’s lots of scenes where people eat, drink, and talk. That’s about all that happens. If it sounds like your cup of tea, give it a shot. Personally, it annoyed me as much as Mr. Leigh himself.

2 out of 5 stars.

Check out the trailer for Another Year Below: