Another Year (12A, 129 mins)

Created during intensive, improvisational workshop sessions, which have become the film-maker’s trademark, the new film is more bitter than sweet and becomes increasingly sombre over the course of the two hours.

Flecks of comedy are few and far between, and more often than not, the humour is borne out of the embarrassment of one of the characters.

The film opens with a mesmerising close-up of Janet (Imelda Staunton), a middle-aged woman who cannot sleep and needs a prescription of pills.

“What is the one thing that would improve your life, apart from sleep?” asks medical counsellor Gerri (Ruth Sheen).

“A different life,” retorts Janet icily, revealing the years of hurt and desperation that are at the root of her current woes.

The narrative almost completely abandons Janet and focuses instead on Gerri, who is happily married to geologist Tom (Jim Broadbent).

The couple tends an allotment and looks forward to a cosy retirement – the only dark cloud on the horizon is Gerri’s lonely work colleague Mary (Lesley Manville), who continually pops round to share her woes.

Mary hopes that a new car might lift her spirits.

“What are you going to get?” asks Tom.

“Something small and red,” she beams.

“That narrows it down...” he deadpans.

The purchase seems to do the trick and Mary embraces her new-found freedom with glee.

“It’s so exciting. I feel like Thelma & Louise.

“This little car is going to change my life!” she trills, forgetting how badly the Ridley Scott film ended.

Tom and Gerri are thrilled when their lawyer son, Joe (Oliver Maltman), visits with new girlfriend Katie (Karina Fernandez) in tow.

She is a bubbly occupational therapist and the parents immediately warm to her.

“He’s a dark horse, our son,” smirks Gerri, aware that Mary had a soft spot for their boy.

Instead, they attempt to pair off Mary with Tom’s boyhood friend Ken (Peter Wight), who works in a government employment office in Hull.

Another Year treads similar ground to Secrets & Lies and is blessed with a tour de force performance from Manville that will be in serious contention at next year’s Oscars.

Sheen and Broadbent are equally captivating in low key roles and there are moving scenes in the Winter section involving Tom’s elder brother Ronnie (David Bradley).

Leigh directs with typical economy, and there are few wasted words in a lean screenplay that makes light work of the 129 minutes.

:: SWEARING :: NO SEX :: NO VIOLENCE :: RATING: 8/10