Naked

Director Mike Leigh’s films have explored the dynamics of class relations in Britain for over two decades. The release of “Naked” saw a controversy erupt over the bleak and distressing vision he presents of post-Thatcherite class and gender relations. “Naked” is a descent into Hell. We follow the homeless Johnny on an Odyssey through the streets of London; a journey in which he confronts loneliness, violence and hate. Johnny is no hero. Violent with women and a destroyer of fantasy, he is presented with a chilling candour that can be seen as misanthropic. His life is contrasted with the excessive greed of the yuppie Jermey/Sebastian whose wealth allows him the luxury of a security that is no longer possible for Johnny. “Naked” is a masterpiece of contemporary cinema and one of the most harrowing and confronting films ever made; a film that simultaneously smashes the romantic pieties of social-realist cinema and reinvigorates the possibilities of political filmmaking. David Thewlis is brilliant as Johnny, and he is supported by an exceptional cast. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor (David Thewlis) awards at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.