Genre: Crime, Drama, Period Piece, Society, Courtroom, Tragedy, Police
Tagline: Wife. Mother. Criminal.
Plot: Mike Leigh produces another devastating masterpiece with the heartbreaking VERA DRAKE. Imelda Staunton is the title character, beloved wife of Stan (Phil Davis) and mother of Sid (Daniel Mays) and Ethel (Alex Kelly). Vera spends her days cleaning houses for money and looking in on elderly and sick neighbors out of the kindness of her heart. She even attempts to be a matchmaker for her daughter, inviting a lonely neighbor, Reg (Eddie Marsan), to see if he might be a perfect match for the introverted Ethel. But Vera performs another duty that her family doesn't know about, one that is deeply frowned upon by society. When tragedy befalls a young client of Vera's, the truth comes out, forcing her family to see their mother in an entirely different light.Staunton gives a towering performance and, in typical Mike Leigh fashion, the story, characters, and script were built from a grueling and intricate improvisation process, resulting in a film that burns with heart-wrenching sincerity. Rather than take a heavy-handed approach towards his controversial subject matter, Leigh heroically remains non-judgmental, delivering an achingly humanistic drama that will linger with audiences long after they leave the
More Plot Descriptions
 Discussion forum for this movie
|
| |
 For those who have the patience to become absorbed in this kind of drama, Vera Drake offers a stunningly real character portrait whose image will linger long after the movie has faded.  --James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
"Vera Drake" is a carefully calibrated parable that quietly sneaks into your heart and prods it sharply.--Desson Thomson (Washington Post)
Part of that goes to the outstanding Imelda Staunton, who if the Academy does not award at the end of the year, I will never watch the Oscars again. ... This movie is powerhouse stuff all the way. Bravo Mike Leigh. A--Craig Younkin (Lee's Movie Info)
One inevitably leaves the theater not with a sense of anger, but in overwhelming sadness.--Shari L. Rosenblum (CineScene)
Gradually scenes become less humanistic and more about storytelling, something Leigh has always avoided. Scenes at the end seem to exist solely to further the narrative, and since the story is quite easy to predict, the film develops into a weighty melodrama we watch unfold while staying one step ahead. This is a weakness in an otherwise strong film.  --Lucas Stensland (CultureDose.net)
Beautifully shot and impeccably acted with human interaction that remains easy to relate to though taking place in a different era, Vera Drake will keep your mind reeling well after leaving the theater.  --Rachel Gordon (FilmCritic.com)
I see many Oscar nominations in "Vera Drake's" future, chief among them ones for Staunton's shattering performance and Leigh's notoriously intense direction and beautifully crafted screenplay. No less worthy are the costumers, make-up artists, art directors, and set decorators who have brought back to life London after the Blitz and done wonderful justice to Leigh's ensemble of finely drawn characters.  --Elaine Perrone (eFilmCritic.com)
|
| Cast |
|
 | | Eddie Marsan
Gangs of New York, 21 Grams, Mission: Impossible III | | | Daniel Mays
All or Nothing, Vida secreta de las palabras, La, Class of '76 | | |
[more] |
|
|
Movie Database
In Theaters
