The Short & Curlies

"The Short & Curlies" is a short made for British television. It has a plot that is rather slight but the projects works because the characters are very interesting and realistic, as writer/director Mike Leigh shows a definite knack for these quirky sorts of people you see in the film.

The story involves a working class English couple--the tall, nerdy guy who only seems to communicate by telling jokes and his girlfriend who seems to put up with him. In addition, there's the hairdresser that talks and talks without saying anything as well as her sad daughter.

As I said already, the strength of this film isn't the plot so much as the characters. They are strange but still believable and the film does a nice job of taking the viewers into these folks' world. Nothing brilliant but still very nice.