"As I watched this wryly wise movie unfold, lines from (Philip) Larkin's poems kept popping into my mind, such as 'A good meal can somewhat repair/The eatings of slight love.'" (Michael Sragow, San Francisco Examiner) In Mike Leigh's Life Is Sweet, "a comedy with moments of dramatic relief," food is the medium of a bittersweet message about being truly what we are in the stew of our received roles. Alison Steadman is Wendy, who holds together a suburban English family falling apart at the fringe (no need to go "beyond": anarchy in the U.K. is a family affair). Her twin teenage daughters are exhibiting some very weird traits-nasty girl Nicola is a mass of ticks and tricks, bulimic as regards chocolate and sex; while Natalie, girl plumber, is just too satisfied. The miracle is how Wendy slyly brings Nicola back into the fold without once betraying her own wacky persona. While husband Andy pursues his dream of owning a catering truck, friend Aubrey answers to a higher calling when he opens a French bistro, the Regret Rien, "très exclusive." Liver in lager, anyone? Quails on a bed of spinache and treacle? And all the displaced love you can eat.