Leonard and Hungry Paul review

 

Sometimes the most low key dramas can contain a lot more truth than higher profile, more spectacular ones. Leonard and Hungry Paul is a case in point. Its deceptively ordinary premise brings up universal questions and moments that make you stop and think. It might be described as an example of “gentle comedy” even if that phrase is loaded with prejudice. Perhaps its time to claim it back.

 Spoilers after this point

Best (and indeed only) friends Leonard and Hungry Paul (the latter sobriquet is never explained, delightfully) are in their early thirties and set in a routine which includes regular board games nights. Leonard and his mother have a warm relationship and in flashbacks we see how she fostered his imagination as a child which had led to his job as a copy writer in children’s encyclopaedias. He lives with her in a routine that is broken one day when she dies. This seismic event makes him think he needs to expand his life and the opportunity comes in the form of Shelley who also works in the office. Their meet cute occurs during a fire drill as she is shepherding people out. They click despite the very different personalities. He is introverted and quietly submissive to the whims of his forceful editor. She is funny, quirky and sociable.

Hungry Paul lives with his parents while his sister, who has long moved out, is about to get married. A character who appears to drift through life without a full time job or apparent desire to move out, he is often an advisor to Leonard despite relative lack of experience of the outside world. The board games they play sometimes become an allegory for what is happening in Leonard’s life. It’s a story about balancing acceptance of the status quo against the prospect of change. Most people do live what we might call ordinary lives in any case, its just rare for them to be dramatized.

The series is adapted from a book by Irish author Ronan Hession who has said "Conflict is an Anglophone construct to tell a story” intimating that there isn’t really any conflict in his stories. He was talking about his second book but it applies here as well. This does contradict the commonly held belief that conflict drives drama. I only found the quote after watching the show but it had struck me was that although there are occasional disagreements there aren’t really any scenes where characters shout at each other. Any disappointment or faux pas is a cause of regret, apology or hidden irritation rather than anger. Even Leonard and Shelley’s first date's sitcom like premises is diffused by both characters later and you feel this is more realistic than any argument the scenario may have generated in a different type of show. 

Leonard’s frustration with his boss who is eager for the plaudits but not to do the work is only really addressed in the narration and actor Alex Lawther’s pinched looks of exasperation. Even Hungry Paul’s parents’ feelings that it was about time he left home are expressed quietly - there is no stand up confrontation over the issue. The show likes to do that; takes examples of situations and even misunderstandings and cool them down into everyday happenings. By the end of the six episodes you may find yourself luxuriating in this calm viewpoint.

It takes an episode to get into the rhythm of the show. There are jokes but often characters will laugh at the predictability of them. Sometimes it seems to be moving into romcom territory but never too much. For example, in one scene they wander past a lit bandstand which in a romcom would be the ideal setting for some declaration yet it just remains in the background though after the briefest kiss, as Leonard is walking away the lights brighten a little.

The series is not without it’s quirks, notably having no less than Julia Roberts as a narrator whose insights presumably mirror those in the novel. The occasional use of flashbacks and replacing Leonard with his younger self never intrude. Hungry Paul’s involvement in an email sign off competition and later with the mime society are certainly new plots I’ve never seen before.

The whole production wallows contentedly in its suburban setting- well appointed houses, leafy lanes, a sense of calm and even a well lit bandstand. Though it takes place in Ireland it could be the heart of suburbia anywhere. The narrative homes in on those little things that make family and relationships work. It kicks against the prevailing idea of ambition and moving on while acknowledging that eventually it will happen. Hungry Paul’s speech about why he stays at home is something I’ve never heard before yet makes a lot of sense.

Though some may moan in the casting of two English actors as these Irish characters both are superbly gentle and philosophical in these roles. Alex Lawther often plays the outcast but here it is Leonard’s ordinariness that he is portraying. His ability to lean into both the comedy and drama of situations makes him perfect casting. Laurie Kynaston brings a guru like quality to Hungry Paul’s musings about his friend and life in general. Both actors’ comedic timing is spot on too. Jamie Lee O’Donnell brings the energy and exuberance as Shelley yet the depth of the character shines though in later scenes when she has to explain about her priorities. The rapport between Leonard and Shelly is a highlight of the series. There's also strong support from a great cast notably from Lorcan Cranitch as Hungry Paul's father and Paul Reid as Leonards' Eighties style boss.

The mood then is more akin to something like Detectorists bringing the viewer into a world that is a pleasant break from the madness all around us. I  saw it on the iPlayer (it is also screening episodically each Monday evening) and intended just to watch the first episode yet before I knew it I’d seen all six. Leonard and Hungry Paul is a delightful time out from the urgency of modern times.