Career Girls

Career Girls is a 1997 film by Mike Leigh which tells the story of two women, who reunite after six years apart. The film stars Katrin Cartlidge and Lynda Steadman. The women were originally thrown together when they shared a flat while at university and the film focuses on their interpersonal relationship.

(The film is not related to Louise Bagshawe’s 1995 novel of the same name.)

The film opens in present day, with Annie (Lynda Steadman) on the train to London to spend the weekend with Hannah (Katrin Cartlidge), her flatmate during university. Hannah laments to Annie about Hannah’s alcoholic mother and Annie tells Hannah about Annie’s mother’s search for a new boyfriend. Annie, who still lives with her mother, admires Hannah’s independence. In contrast, Hannah laments being forced to be independent since she was a child.

In flashbacks, Hannah and Claire (Kate Byers) interview and accept Annie into their flat. Hannah makes fun of Annie’s dermatitis, upsetting her. Later, Annie and Hannah discuss getting rid of Claire the next year. In a fourth flashback, Hannah and Annie discuss how Hannah hasn’t cried since she was 8 and her parents split up.

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