Although it seems destined to wallow in semi-obscurity forever, for me Nuts In May is right up there with Goodfellas, Jaws and Pulp Fiction as one of the all time masterpieces of cinema. The exploits of Keith, Candice-Marie, Ray, Finger and Honky in a field in Dorset are easily as good as Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta pulling off a diamond heist, or Roy Scheider blowing up a shark. I honestly think this film might have the greatest acting of all time. Keith and Candice-Marie are so real it hurts. I can't think of performances like this anywhere else.
Mike Leigh's deadpan, voyeuristic direction forces the viewer to endure scenes of extreme cringe that no amount of Hollywood A-listers could ever replicate. The scene where Ray is blackmailed into singing a song about zoos is fantastically unbearable to watch, and that is just one highlight of many. The shot of Keith trying to copy Ray's morning workout routine leaves me on the floor every time. It's pointless singling out individual scenes though, the whole thing is gold from start to finish.
Alas, this is also the kind of film at least 85% of people would watch and think "what was all that about. nothing happens". And of course they'd be right, but they'd be so wrong.
Mike Leigh's deadpan, voyeuristic direction forces the viewer to endure scenes of extreme cringe that no amount of Hollywood A-listers could ever replicate. The scene where Ray is blackmailed into singing a song about zoos is fantastically unbearable to watch, and that is just one highlight of many. The shot of Keith trying to copy Ray's morning workout routine leaves me on the floor every time. It's pointless singling out individual scenes though, the whole thing is gold from start to finish.
Alas, this is also the kind of film at least 85% of people would watch and think "what was all that about. nothing happens". And of course they'd be right, but they'd be so wrong.