Career Girls *** (1997, Katrin Cartlidge, Lynda Steadman, Kate Byers, Andy Serkis) – Classic Movie Review 1874

A lightweight 1997 release from writer-director Mike Leigh lacks the subtlety, depth and epic scale of his much applauded previous outing, Secrets & Lies (1996).

Some weird, crude performances harm the pleasures of his story about two close college mates (Katrin Cartlidge, Lynda Steadman) meeting up again in London six years later and rekindling their friendship. The story swings back and forth from the college days to the present, with the actresses’ uncharismatic, stereotyped turns as the youngsters making it a relief when their mature selves are played so attractively by them.

The women do a spot of casual flat hunting, but not much happens, exposing the story as simply a premise to hang some entertaining, poignant and penetrating dialogue on.

Leigh’s film is often funny, but finally desperately sad as a heavy air of world-weary melancholy hangs over this acid comedy, which at least is subtle enough to spare us any obvious messages.

Andy Serkis, Mark Benton, Margo Stanley, Michael Healy and Joe Tucker are also in the cast.

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