Kiss of Death

In KISS OF DEATH, director Mike Leigh leaves social class issues behind to concentrate on this personal story about Trevor (David Threlfall), a young undertaker's assistant who lacks the social skills to successfully court a woman. His best friend, Ronnie (John Wheatley), is a grocery store clerk who is dating Sandra (Angela Curran). Fed up with Trevor's constant tagging along, Sandra jumps at the opportunity to introduce him to Linda (Kay Adshead), a rambunctious former coworker. After a shaky start, Trevor and Linda finally begin dating. While their relationship is getting underway, Ronnie tries to get Sandra into bed, albeit unsuccessfully. After a night out at a local disco, the couples' affections begin to shift and new feelings are born.

Rather than use the workplace as social commentary on Trevor's seemingly somber existence, Leigh makes it a more personal, emotional issue by placing him in a position where he is forced to witness death on a daily basis. This culminates in a moving scene in which he and his boss, Mr. Garside (Clifford Kershaw), are forced to remove a deceased baby from the home of its distraught parents. As usual, an overriding sense of humor permeates KISS OF DEATH, keeping it from becoming overtly sentimental or tragic.