Peterloo

MIKe Leigh is one of a select group of directors that I discovered early in my TIFF journey and have stuck with, treasuring each visit he makes to Toronto.

This started for me with “Life is Sweet” in 1990 and has continued through films like “Naked” way back when and “Mr. Turner” more recently.

Leigh’s social consciousness is a constant through his films, achieved through an extensive regimen of improvisations in rehearsal to help his actors develop their characters. Over time, his filmic canvas has expanded and “Peterloo” fits in that model, detailing the events leading to a peaceful demonstration in support of universal suffrage in Manchester in the early 19th century that turned tragic when an excessively aggressive response by the military resulted in the deaths of many of the participants.

It’s the detail that really makes this film, both in terms of the setting but also through showing the lives of the working and ruling classes. If there’s a criticism (and it’s relatively minor), there may be a bias towards portraying the latter in more cartoonish fashion. Much scenery is consumed by members of Parliament and the Prince Regent.