Take one of Tyler Perry’s earlier melodramas, use the same bundling the filmmaker/playwright uses when trying to tell multiple stories, give Madea some heart-wrenching secrets, and her husband Joe some internal conflict. That well-adjusted flick would be the closest comparison to Hard Truths, a memorable tragicomedy from writer/director Mike Leigh (Naked, Happy-Go-Lucky, Mr. Turner).

Leigh’s character-driven story is centred around a black-Caribbean family in London. While trying to make ends meet, they’re constantly reminded of their failures by the unforgiving mother of the house, Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who last collaborated with the filmmaker in 1996’s Secrets & Lies). Finding it increasingly difficult to keep a shipshape house, Pansey finds herself exhausted; not just by her own family but by others who dare interact with her. Hard Truths showcases plenty of funny exchanges, mostly nary of profanity but almost always featuring a vicious tongue-lashing by Pansy. The wordy take-downs have clever writing by Leigh and relentless fervour from Jean-Baptiste.

When we find out a little bit more about Pansy over the course of Hard Truths, Leigh doesn’t make us feel bad for laughing at Pansy. Instead, he asks us to consider the baggage edgy people may be quietly carrying. Pansy’s vulnerability rises to the surface after the halfway mark of Leigh’s film, but she’s still angry and the people around her, while more aware, still feel defeated. Her husband Curtley (David Webber) is usually stunned by her behaviour. When he’s placed in a debilitating position due to a work injury, he finds out how a lack of confidence from Pansy leaves him feeling alone. Audiences who love to be caught up in character-based scenarios with high emotions at stake will be in heartbreak heaven with Hard Truths.

The earlier comparison between the work of Tyler Perry and Mike Leigh isn’t based on race, but rather how family conflicts are conveyed differently. Perry wants to tackle serious issues, but the unhinged comedy that counters the drama makes his endeavours wildly uneven. Leigh makes a convincing case that funny things can be said during moments of heft – both genres can converge and create realism. Tyler Perry aside, any screenwriter or director could find a beneficial education in Hard Truths.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie