Review of Vera Drake (2004) by Cameron P — 01 Feb 2010
The most political film by Leigh, but also, unfortunately, the most melodramatic. The characters are complex, like all of the man's films, and there are a few scenes that are so superbly executed (the police arriving at Drake's door, especially).
The entire cast gives a collage of unusual, understatedly powerful performances. The ambiguity of the subject matter is appropriate, but the human emotions got very tiring to me, considering there is hardly a scene in the last half of the movie when Staunton doesn't break into tears in a very tight shot.
I guess I just prefer Leigh's other masterpieces Naked and Happy-Go-Lucky, or even the emotionally complex Secrets & Lies and Meantime, to this.
This review of Vera Drake (2004) was written by Cameron P on 01 Feb 2010.
Vera Drake has generally received very positive reviews.
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