High Hopes

1989 1h 48m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

🔥

92%

CERTIFIED FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

7.4

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 103🍅92%Rotten Tomatoes●84Metacritic★7.4IMDB · 5,909

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Working-class couple Shirley and Cyril are in conflict over whether they should have children, their problems with 'yuppies' moving into the neighbourhood and outpricing them, and the advent of Cyril's ageing mother's seventieth birthday.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Phil Davis
Cyril Bender
Ruth Sheen
Shirley
Edna Doré
Mrs Bender
Philip Jackson
Martin Burke
Heather Tobias
Valerie
Lesley Manville
Lætitia Boothe-Brain
David Bamber
Rupert Boothe-Brain
Cheryl Prime
Martin's Girlfriend

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mike Leigh
Writers: Mike Leigh
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mike Leigh, shot by Roger Pratt. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Andrew Dickson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jon Gregory shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Phil Davis and Ruth Sheen and Edna Doré carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0095302 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mike Leigh directs. Roger Pratt behind the camera. Andrew Dickson scores. Jon Gregory cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Mike Leigh, shot by Roger Pratt. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Andrew Dickson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Jon Gregory shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Phil Davis and Ruth Sheen and Edna Doré carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0095302 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.