Review of Suffragette (2015) by Jonathan B — 16 Mar 2016

Undoubtedly a good movie with some lovely performances but, for me, The Suffragette does try a bit too hard to cram in every form of abuse meted out to these gallant women by the society that was denying them their basic human rights.

I feel that the rule of "less is more" had clearly been forgotten. Carey Mulligan does put in a lovely and subtle performance as Maud, the laundry worker who gradually becomes radicalised due to the injustices she sees around her.

It is nice to see Helena Bonham Carter tone it down a bit from some of her more recent excessively over the top. She's all the better for it and it reminded me of just what a fine actress she actually is.

Meryl Streep makes a brief but important appearance as Mrs. Pankhurst and the much underrated Anne-Marie Duff has a memorable role. The Suffragette tells an important story of a fight against repression.

I'm just not sure it quite pulls off just how long the battle was. Indeed, judging by this movie, you could be forgiven for thinking that the fight for women's suffrage was over in a couple of months rather than the several decades before woman reached full equality with men in terms of voting rights.

This criticism aside, The Suffragette does make compelling viewing and is a story that needs to be told.