Mike Leigh’s ‘Tender Loving Care’ Earns Raves at Telluride — 86 on Metacritic

Mike Leigh. A directing legend. The number of great films he’s delivered since the ’80s is impressive enough. He’s one of the few directors to have won both the Golden Lion and the Palme d’Or.

“Tender Loving Care,” apparently his last film, Leigh’s own words, has now been screened at Telluride, and the reviews are great. It baffles me how Venice — which has had a lukewarm competition thus far, decided to give it an out-of- competition slot — Leigh refused.

The reviews so far? Based on six critics, 86 on Metacritic with The Guardian (5/5), The Playlist (A-), IndieWire (B+), THR, The Wrap and Screen raving.

A quartet of Leigh’s previous on-screen collaborators are featured in “Tender Loving Care,” including Marion Bailey (“Mr. Turner”), Paul Jesson (“All or Nothing”), Kate O’Flynn (“Happy-Go-Lucky”), and Alice Bailey Johnson (“Hard Truths”).

Synopsis:

Amy, a government child protection worker, moves back with her upbeat best friend Rosie, a social services officer facing daily anger and resentment. Amy's aging parents worry about her happiness while dealing with their own crisis.

Leigh is one of the great living filmmakers—Oscar-nominated five times for writing and twice for directing (“Secrets & Lies,” “Vera Drake”)—and, at 83, he seems to have finally hit a wall. He simply can’t do it anymore. If “Tender Loving Care” is indeed his final film then the critics will have been by his side until the very end.

“Tender Loving Care” is set for release on December 4 from Bleecker Street following its fall festival run at Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF.