Hard Truths

Hard Truths centres on Pansy, a woman whose anger shapes nearly every encounter she has. She clashes with strangers who approach her and with her subdued husband, Curtley, and their adult son, Moses, who keeps largely to himself. Her sister Chantelle, a hairdresser with two lively daughters, offers a contrast in temperament, and it is through her that the film suggests the fear and long-buried pain beneath Pansy's harsh surface. The tension between the two sisters, and a suggestion that Pansy visit their mother's grave, brings old wounds closer to the open.

Mike Leigh wrote and directed the film, the tenth of his features in the chronology listed here, following Peterloo (2018). Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy, with Michele Austin as Chantelle, David Webber as Curtley, Tuwaine Barrett as Moses, Ani Nelson as Kayla and Sophia Brown as Aleisha. Georgina Lowe produced, and the production involved Film4 Productions, Thin Man Films, The Mediapro Studio and Creativity Media, with the United Kingdom and Spain among the countries behind it.

Released in December 2024, the film runs 97 minutes across comedy and drama. Its worldwide box office stands at about 3 million USD, modest for a wide theatrical run. On IMDb it holds 7.2/10 from 9,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.5/10 from 175 votes. A critics' rating of 8.1/10 from 187 reviews places it noticeably above both audience scores.