Review: Vera Drake (****)

VERA DRAKE
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ****


Mike Leigh's sublime VERA DRAKE is two movies in one. The first is an
inviting soap opera about a British working class family. In a performance
that should be remembered at Oscar time, Imelda Staunton plays Vera Drake, a
good spirited woman with a nearly infinite capacity to help others. Always
sporting a large and infectious smile, she goes about the daily business of
working as a maid in a wealthy household, run by Mrs. Fowler (Marion
Bailey), and as a housewife in her own home. Her husband Stan (Phil Davis)
is an "automotive engineer," what we Americans call a car mechanic. He owns
a small shop with his brother Frank (Adrian Scarborough).



The characters in the story are so carefully developed that it calls to mind
another high minded British social drama, "Upstairs Downstairs." Vera and
Stan have two grown children who still live with them, probably because they
can't afford a place of their own. Ethel (Alex Kelly) is their quiet and
homely daughter who works in a factory as a light bulb tester. Sidney
(Daniel Mays) is a well spoken and gregarious tailor.



The first half of the movie mainly concerns the Drake's home with the
biggest news being a marriage proposal from the dorky Reg (Eddie Marsan) to
Ethel, who accepts as soon as she figures out he really means it. All of
the conversations feel as genuine as any family discussions in your house.
Vera always sets "a lovely spread," which helps keep everyone at ease.
"Lost my mom in the blitz," the taciturn Reg says sadly during one of these
gatherings. Everyone immediately gives him verbal support he needs.



The atmospherics are so authentic looking that you feel like you've been
transported in a time capsule. But up until the blitz comment above and a
subsequent mention of it being 1950, I thought it looked like the 1930s. I
also guessed the petite and dowdy dressing Vera as being in her mid-60s, but
later it appears that she is probably in her late-40s.



When you hear about the movie, you probably won't hear any of the above.
Most people will probably say that it is about abortion, which it is,
especially in the last half. You see, when Vera isn't being a maid, tending
house or assisting invalid neighbors, she "helps young girls" to be "as
right as rain" again. Using nothing more than a cheese grater to grate soap
into warm water and a syringe to insert the soapy liquid into pregnant
girls, she attempts to induce miscarriages, which is illegal. We see how
rich girls back then went to psychiatrists who would declare their abortions
legal while poor ones were forced into dangerous operations and schemes like
Vera's.



The movie ratchets up a notch in quality and drama in the last act, when a
contrite and embarrassed Vera is arrested. Although she pleads guilty and
helps out the police, the story still manages to make the legal drama
absolutely intriguing. The result is a devastating wonderful film, which
will undoubtedly earn Staunton a well deserved nomination from the Academy
for Best Actress.



VERA DRAKE runs 2:05. It is rated R for "depiction of strong thematic
material" and would be acceptable for teenagers.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 22, 2004.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.



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