It is sometimes said of a painting that it is two paintings: the one you see at a distance and the one you see up close. In a similar vein, there are at least two different experiences in each of Mike Leigh's movies: the one you have while the film is running and the one you have thinking back on it later. The difference is that a viewer of a painting generally takes in the big picture first and moves in to study the details later, while in a Leigh movie the close-up view – the rough, unassimilated, raw experience you have while you are watching it – may be the only thing visible for a long time. The big picture may not emerge for a while, if ever.

Hollywood attempts to minimize the difference between the two views. In an effort to keep the viewer continuously informed about the big picture, details are continuously linked to a larger pattern of significance. A problem-solving or goal-oriented narrative is one way of doing that. A viewer knows what to pay attention to, and what it means, by referring it to the general goal being pursued. If something assists the characters in solving their problems or answering their questions, it matters; if it doesn't, it doesn't.