简介：AnotherofMikeLeigh'seffortsinthePlayforTodayseries.HomeSweetHomeisthehetragic-comictaleofalonelypostman,thesocialworkerswhochivvyhimabouthisestrangedteenagedaughter,andhissecretaffairswiththewivesofhisfellowpostmen. "ThoughthesocialandeconomicsituationsofLeigh'scharactersareinvariablyspecified,theyarenotdeterminative.Inhisview,institutionsdon'tcauseourproblemsandinstitutionscannotsolvethem.Nothingbeyondthestructureofourownthoughtsandemotionscanbeblamedforourpredicamentandnothingoutsideofourselvescanremedyit.ThepoorestofLeigh'scharacterscouldwinthelottery,ortherichestbeforcedoutontothestreets,withouttheirbasicdramaticproblemschanging. OneonlyhastocompareKenLoach'sLadybird,LadybirdwithLeigh'sHomeSweetHomeorhisshort,Probation,forthedifferencebetweenthetwoviewpointstobeclear.WhereasLoachmountsaninstitutionalcritique,thesocialsystemsandbureaucraciesinLeigh'sworkareonlyindividualswritlarge.HomeSweetHomedramatizestherelationshipoftwosocialworkers,DaveandMelody,toaclient,Stan,andhisdaughterTina,butforLeighthesocialworkersareultimatelyjustmessed-uppeople.OnemightsaythatwhileLoachlooksattheeffect,Leighstudiesthecause.Loachstudiesbureaucracies;Leighexaminestheindividualqualitiesthatmakebureaucraciesthewaytheyare.ThemaincharactersinLadybird,Ladybirdarevictimsofasocialagency'sdepersonalizingunderstandings.LeighrefusestomakeStanandTinavictimsofanybodyoranything.HomeSweetHomemakesclearthat,evenifallofthesocialworkersweretodisappearfromtheuniverse,StanandTina'srelationshipwouldnotimproveonewhit(andinfactwouldverylikelygetworse,sinceintheabsenceofapushy,intrusive,boorishMelody,Tinawouldgetnovisitsortripshomeatall). ThereisanultimatefairnessinLeigh'sviewoflife.Wegetwhatweare.Nothingisinflictedonus(justasnothingoutsideofourselvescansaveus).Wecreateourownproblemsandweourselvesmustsolvethem.Itwouldbehardtoimagineaviewofexperiencemoreatoddswiththeblame-gamesplayedbymostculturalstudiescritics.Leigh'scharacterscanneverblameanythingoranyone–leastofall"thesystem."Externalforces(figuredbyeverfashionableideologicalconceptslike"power,""gender,"and"class")havenoultimateauthorityoverwhatweare.Weareresponsibleforourownfates.Theenemy,ifthereisanenemy,isinside.Oddasitmaysoundtosayit,thewritersonculturalstudiesandneo-MarxistfilmmakerslikeLoachareactuallymoreoptimisticthanLeigh,forwhilethesocial-workbureaucracy(Loach'starget)mayconceivablybereformed,thehumanheartandmind(Leigh'ssubjects)arealltoodeplorably(andexultantly)whattheyareforalleternity.Iwouldarguethattheinstitutionalcritiqueisinfactthesimpler,moresuperficial,andmorenaivewayofunderstandingthesesituations.ThelabyrinthsofthehumanheartarefarmoretortuousandByzantinethanthecorridorsofpowerthatconstitutethewelfaresystem.Thebureaucraciesoftheimaginationarefarsubtlerandmoreinsidiousthanthoseofanyman-madeinstitution.Andifyousayyoudon'tseethatordon'tunderstandhowthatcouldpossiblybe,whythatispreciselywhataworklikeHomeSweetHomeexiststoshow...." –ExcerptedfromRayCarney,"TheFilmsofMikeLeigh:EmbracingtheWorld"…