I Bet You Didn't See... Vera Drake
- ibetyoudidnt
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
If any viewer has watched Call the Midwife, or knows anything about the history of Women’s Rights, they will be familiar with the subject matter Vera Drake deals with. Illegal abortions. It’s a tough watch.
We follow Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton), a post-war housewife and cleaner, who goes about her everyday jobs and life. In between times, she helps women of all backgrounds to “start their bleeding again”. Her life flits between the wealthy and the poor, and she stands in the middle, or as close to it as conditions in London at the time allowed. Out of the kindness of her heart, she helps those around her knowing the risks. However, her method seems safer than others. Her family life is simple, her son is successful, her daughter has met someone, all seems well. All seems well.
Positives first. The characters are very well laid out, and the research into the truth and reality of the time is very well done. There are two sides to every coin, and the director has made this very clear. Vera is doing her work out of sheer kindness; her family adore her; the community all look out for each other. On the other side of society, Susan (Sally Hawkins) has a cushy life of plenty, and her family employ and respect Vera. You can possibly work out the flip sides for yourself.
The settings are superbly contrasting. It stands out how Vera’s life takes her from the open, tree-lined streets of the upper class to the grimy and cramped back streets where immigrants coming over take whatever accommodation they can afford. Vera, Stan (Phil Davis), Sid (Daniel Mays) and Ethel (Alex Kelly) sit nicely in the middle. We might see it as cramped by today’s standards, but the director has crafted a wonderful interplay with the family members as they dance around each other in their house as if they have been their all their lives. They all have a room, they have separate cooking and living spaces, and they are happy. There’s even a contrast with husband’s brother who is on the up, moving into a more modern lifestyle.
The main problem viewers may find with Vera Drake is the pacing. The film may only be 125 minutes long, but the climax of the film is only about 25 minutes in total. There is a lot of repeated sequences, trying to impress the variety of people Vera helps, but that doesn’t take long to start to drag.
We also have Susan’s storyline, which seems to only be there to show that what Vera is doing can be done within higher society under certain circumstances and with far more money. However, this feels like a set up with no payoff, certainly starts off to feel like Vera would be involved, but the ends abruptly and with no real clarity. It shows, however, that the procedures were possible, but only through the correct (and expensive) means.
The characterisation of the film is very good. Staunton is a wonderful Vera, with great mannerisms of the era. It is no wonder she won awards for the role - 2004 European Film Awards Best Actress, BIFA Best Actress, 2005 BAFTAs Best Actress in a Leading Role and nominated for Best Actress at that year’s Academy Awards. Daniel Mays plays Sid fantastically, torn between family loyalty, Christian values and personal pride, and the connection between Stan and his brother Frank (Adrian Scarborough) is very well done. Unfortunately, the pacing lets the project down and that is a real shame.
I will say this for the film – it is the kind of film the industry likes. It is about real people, real relationships, and real drama. Not over-the-top action or corny relationships where characters don’t talk to each other until it is too late, just real human conflict and hypocrisy. I can understand why it did well. So maybe this reviewer doesn’t know what he is talking about. Each to their own really.
I do hope you enjoy it though.
Directed by: Mike Leigh
Starring: Imelda Staunton, Eddie Marsan, Daniel Mays, Phil Davis, Sally Hawkins
Release Date: 6 September 2004
Rating: 4/10
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