Mike Leigh

The Profile

Mike Leigh (born 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright known for his improvisational working method and social-realist films.

Leigh is noted for developing performances through improvisation with actors and for films that examine ordinary lives and relationships; notable titles include Naked (1993), Secrets & Lies (1996) and Another Year (2010).

DeBaser hosts two appreciative reviews of Mike Leigh highlighting his social-realism approach, focus on family and relationships, and use of improvisation with actors. The pieces praise performances (notably Lesley Manville and Brenda Blethyn) and Leigh's small-scale classical style. Both reviews view his work as humane and sharply observed.