this is typical late mike leigh -- a portrait of people so burdened by poverty and listlessness they have become cruel almost despite their notice: cruelty is the only way they seem to know how to interact with one another. this makes the film difficult to watch, and unpleasant, but as usual in leigh's film, the acting is superb, with many Leigh regulars showing up. Ruth Sheen gives a marvelous performance, as usual, as a single-mother neighbor who seems to be a little bit of ahead of everyone else, and her no-nonsense kindness and empathy leaven the movie's general despair. Finally, something very human and touching is achieved. One just has to sit through two hours of sad nastiness to get there.