Nobody captures working class England and its socially reticent inhabitants better than director/screenwriter Mike Leigh does. He brings a deeply felt authenticity to post-WWII London in the set-up of his rather controversial story, and one needs to give credit to Leigh for not turning the film into a polemic about abortion. At the same time though, the movie clocks in at over two hours, and its unrelenting bleakness has a wearing effect especially since Leigh takes a decidedly episodic approach to his story. The title character is a simple, frumpy woman, so kind-hearted that she thinks nothing of tending to those she sees as less fortunate, whether they be her mother, her invalid neighbor or the parade of mainly young girls who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies. Vera sees no distinction when it comes to helping these people selflessly, and to her immediate family, especially her loving husband, she is nothing less than a saint beyond reproach. Leigh takes his time in establishing this fact, too much time really, and pacing is part of the movie's problem. It appears that he is intent on showing how matter-of-fact her illegal abortion practice is compared to her everyday activities with her family. To some degree, the juxtaposition of scenes maximizes the later drama of consequences and ramifications, but the results are uneven because there is nothing remotely surprising about what happens to her.
The second half of the movie does develop a compelling emotionalism thanks to a stunning turn by Imelda Staunton. Until the moment she is arrested, Vera seems almost like a British version of Betty White's character on "The Golden Girls", all apple-cheeked optimism offering a cup of tea to soothe everyone's worries. However, when Vera realizes what is happening to her, Staunton effectively uses an expression of glazed shock followed by an implosion of endless crying jags to illuminate the inner turmoil of her character. For the most part, it's an economical performance, and yet thanks to Staunton, one never questions the sheer anguish her character is experiencing. The other actors are quite good, in particular, Phil Davis as her unsuspecting mechanic husband Stan; Daniel Mays as her enterprising son Sid, a men's store salesman; Peter Wight as the guardedly sympathetic inspector; and as two unlikely lovebirds, Alex Kelly as her hopelessly lumpish daughter Ethel and Eddie Marsan as the schlubby bachelor upstairs. In fact, his proposal scene to Ethel is a charming moment in their fumbling realization of their need for each other. Another keenly observed scene is one in which Sid deftly massages a middle-class customer's heartfelt desire to look like a swell at an important function. These are the moments in the movie that feel the most truthful, and Leigh excels at directing such scenes without pretension.
The aim of the film is sound. Leigh wants to exalt the heroism of abortion providers during an era of extreme repression, and he makes sure to be true to the psychology of the working class at that time. Consequently it is compelling how he keeps Vera inarticulate during the most dramatic moments, even when she's being interrogated and realizes a prison sentence is at hand. What I didn't appreciate as much is how Leigh uses certain characters simply to move the plot along only to drop them later, for instance, the character of Susan and her plight are introduced simply as a counterpoint to Vera's method, showing how the rich took care of their abortions. There is the revelation that Vera's friend selfishly pocketed money from the pregnant girls all those years, and we are robbed of a confrontation scene that should have occurred between her and Vera about it. One could watch the movie to savor the acting, but truth be told, the film is probably about half an hour too long, as one scene after another signals the end of this desultory story. Despite Staunton's stellar performance, I have to admit I felt relieved when it was all over.
The second half of the movie does develop a compelling emotionalism thanks to a stunning turn by Imelda Staunton. Until the moment she is arrested, Vera seems almost like a British version of Betty White's character on "The Golden Girls", all apple-cheeked optimism offering a cup of tea to soothe everyone's worries. However, when Vera realizes what is happening to her, Staunton effectively uses an expression of glazed shock followed by an implosion of endless crying jags to illuminate the inner turmoil of her character. For the most part, it's an economical performance, and yet thanks to Staunton, one never questions the sheer anguish her character is experiencing. The other actors are quite good, in particular, Phil Davis as her unsuspecting mechanic husband Stan; Daniel Mays as her enterprising son Sid, a men's store salesman; Peter Wight as the guardedly sympathetic inspector; and as two unlikely lovebirds, Alex Kelly as her hopelessly lumpish daughter Ethel and Eddie Marsan as the schlubby bachelor upstairs. In fact, his proposal scene to Ethel is a charming moment in their fumbling realization of their need for each other. Another keenly observed scene is one in which Sid deftly massages a middle-class customer's heartfelt desire to look like a swell at an important function. These are the moments in the movie that feel the most truthful, and Leigh excels at directing such scenes without pretension.
The aim of the film is sound. Leigh wants to exalt the heroism of abortion providers during an era of extreme repression, and he makes sure to be true to the psychology of the working class at that time. Consequently it is compelling how he keeps Vera inarticulate during the most dramatic moments, even when she's being interrogated and realizes a prison sentence is at hand. What I didn't appreciate as much is how Leigh uses certain characters simply to move the plot along only to drop them later, for instance, the character of Susan and her plight are introduced simply as a counterpoint to Vera's method, showing how the rich took care of their abortions. There is the revelation that Vera's friend selfishly pocketed money from the pregnant girls all those years, and we are robbed of a confrontation scene that should have occurred between her and Vera about it. One could watch the movie to savor the acting, but truth be told, the film is probably about half an hour too long, as one scene after another signals the end of this desultory story. Despite Staunton's stellar performance, I have to admit I felt relieved when it was all over.