'Nuts in May'

Watching this movie has become a Christmas tradition for my family and it gets funnier every year. The plot is pretty mundane, but the dialogue and characters make for nonstop laughter.

While on holiday at a campsite, Candice Marie and Keith argue about whether it is necessary to chew each mouthful of food 72 times, take 3 pairs of shoes for a day hike, and have a few hysterical run-ins with their fellow campers.

Lucas and Speilberg take note this is how you make great films....

that's how I feel about this made for TV film, from the seventies, if you are a fan of Independent cinema, then I urge you to go out and buy this film,. Mike Leigh, along with Ken Loach are arguably Britains' best film makers, and although not to everyones taste, you can only enjoy films such as Nuts in May, how can a film about a strict vegetarian couple on a camping trip can be so good? I hear you ask , trust me it is. I don't want to spoil this for anyone who has not seen it, but you will almost wet yourself with laughter. Special mention must go to Roger Sloman, who is one of the most underrated British actors ever. He has turned out in mostly the same role as a 'typical b*****d' such as Keith Pratt, and the TV man/holiday maker in Neils bedroom in the Young Ones. Along with Alison Steadman ( another Mike Leigh regular )

the performances are fantastic, watch out for the scene where they 'force' fellow camper Ray to join in their sing-a-long, Unforgettable * * * * *

I always wonder if Nuts In May was intended to be as hilarious as it turns out to be. Full of quotable lines, the trendy-liberal 70s Keith and Candice-Marie may be overwhelming stereotypes, but they work extremely well. It's a simple tale, subtle in places, but with a great deal of depth. There's a moral here - how ever much you try and escape from the society at large and try and "do your own thing", there's always some authority above you, or someone who comes along and spoils things. Keith may be obstinate and a know-it-all, yet he has a certain sensitivity to his character, he cracks under the pressure, and though he may be a liberal, he isn't exactly tolerant and seems power-crazy. Candice-Marie seems to have a heart of gold, but she's really looking for excitement in her humdrum life. Ray may seem lonely but he has his head screwed on the right way and just doesn't want to be hassled. As for Finger and Honky, they are obnoxious perhaps, uncouth maybe, but they provide comedy and just want to have fun. There's a depth of character in Nuts in May that is refreshing, but there's plenty of humour... watching Keith and Candice-Marie embarrass Ray into singing their appalling hippy zoo song is totally hilarious, and the subtle interplay between the couple is marvellous at times. Mike Leigh gives us characters that are human, with flaws and quirks - there's a great deal of honesty here. It stands up for repeated viewings both for its comedy and its subtlety, and its classic 'quotability'. A masterpiece, frankly.

This is a good film to see for anyone starting on the long, twisted road that is trying to understand the British. Keith is a deeply anal-retentive man on a camping holiday with his dim, lisping girlfriend, Candace Marie. When a rough biker couple arrives at the campsite next door, his ordered little world is destroyed and his sanity nearly goes with it.

The character of Keith is absolutely brilliant: I've never seen such a deeply flawed, contradictory, human character so well written and well portrayed on screen. Roger Sloman is utterly convincing and very funny. Alison Steadman is also very good and the whole film is difficult to forget.

My 11yr old daughter and her 12yr old friend chose this movie for a sleepover in what can only be described as a flash of brilliance. As I cooked in the kitchen I kept being drawn in by their laughter, giggling and quizzical expressions. Being a long time Mike Leigh fan, I eventually just squeezed into the couch beside them and proceeded to watch one of the funniest movies I have ever, EVER seen. I like hearing that it has become a tradition for people, and I think I will try that this year over the Christmas holidays.

My daughter and her friend now make a point of staring the other down and growling, "Now Candice-Marie..."