Vera Drake Reviews

(MU) Great Leigh, there are good people in earth and in 1950 London as Vera and her family and even the police who caputres her, trying to undestand why she 'helps girls out' (abort) for nothing...

Since I kept hearing good things about this movie, I was really eager to check it out. Since it was directed by Mike Leigh, one of the most heralded British directors, I was pretty sure I was in good hands. And, I wasn't disappointed. Indeed, it is a striking study about abortion in 1950s England with a fascinating central character, Vera Drake. Until then, Imelda Staunton was known for playing supporting characters but I never suspected that she could blow me away like this. It was a really terrific performance and, in my opinion, she deserved the Best Leading Actress Academy Award which was eventually won by Hilary Swank for her performance in 'Million Dollar Baby'. The most fascinating thing is that even if you are pro-choice like me, you're never sure if you should be supportive with Vera Drake. Indeed, what she did was not only illegal, it was also terribly dangerous, she was really clueless and killed many women with her 'procedures'. In the other hand, those women made her choice and they would have done it anyway, maybe with someone worse. At least, she really wanted to help them. Eventually, it is some good evidence that it is better to legalize abortion, otherwise, you'll always have some women who would find a way to terminate their pregnancy, sometimes with some terrible results. To conclude, it is a fascinating picture, one of Mike Leih's best and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you are interested in Leigh's work.