Episode 115: Mike Leigh’s “Career Girls”
A discussion of Mike Leigh’s 1997 film, “Career Girls.”
In 1997, after the critical and commercial success of “Secrets and Lies,” Mike Leigh made a quick, smaller film in “Career Girls.” The story follows two friends re-connecting after years apart only to see that they are pretty much the same people. Although “Career Girls” is a solid film with great performances, it is seen as a minor work in comparison to his last films. The interesting thing about the film was how Mike Leigh takes a conventional premise and elevates into something more.
Why is “Career Girls” considered a minor film in Mike Leigh’s catalogue? How was Katrin Cartlidge’s performance as Hannah seen as a female version of David Thewlis’ Johnny from the film “Naked?” And what can we learn from the human interactions in the film “Career Girls?”
Mike Leigh’s “Career Girls” is the subject of episode 115 of the AuteurCast…
