Life Is Sweet
1990 · Movie · R · 103 min · ★ 7.0 · 91% critics
Just north of London, Wendy and Andy raise their twenty-something twins, Natalie and Nicola, while daily jobs and frustrations spill into home life. With love, bickering, and heartfelt moments, the film follows how a tightly knit family navigates conflict and connection in ordinary routines.
Where to watch
Streaming on The Criterion Channel — or rent from $3.99.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 1990
- Release date
- 1991-03-22
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Critic score
- 91/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (173 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this intimate working-class family drama if you like character-driven stories and everyday tension; Not for you if you need a fast, plot-driven ride or prefer more straightforward, neatly resolved movies like High Hopes or Secrets & Lies.
Pros: heartfelt family focus; sharp, natural dialogue; standout ensemble acting | Cons: can feel slow; some characters off-putting; uneven spotlight
Themes
- bulimia
- caravan
- eccentric
- food
- working class
- class differences
- twins
- rebellious daughter
- eating disorder
Cast & crew
Alison Steadman
as Wendy
Jim Broadbent
as Andy
Timothy Spall
as Aubrey
Claire Skinner
as Natalie
Jane Horrocks
as Nicola
David Thewlis
as Nicola's Lover
Moya Brady
as Paula
Stephen Rea
as Patsy
David Neilson
as Steve
Harriet Thorpe
as Customer
Directed by Mike Leigh