Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s lead role in “Hard Truths,” directed by Mike Leigh, is her most substantial onscreen role since “Secrets and Lies” earned them Academy Award nominations in 1997. By Simran ...

There’s a mythology that surrounds Mike Leigh’s films. And like with any shared lore, not all of it is true. One misconception, for instance, is that his storytelling is largely improvised, as if his ...