Vera Drake Movie Review 2004

Compassionate, complex drama with a stellar performance by Staunton in the title role. Set in the drab postwar London of 1950, Vera is a cozy, middle-aged married house cleaner who is relentlessly cheery and helpful to all those around her. This includes the poor young women who find themselves "in trouble." Vera, as it happens, is the local abortionist--something her family discovers only when the police descend on them after one of Vera's procedures goes wrong. Her subsequent trial highlights the hypocrisy of the proceedings (matched against Vera's bewildered decency) without becoming overbearing.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on DVD
Running time 125 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Abortion, London, Period Piece: 1950s, Family Ties, Women in Prison

Screenplay

Mike Leigh

Cast

Imelda Staunton, Philip Davis, Peter Wright, Adrian Scarborough, Heather Craney, Alex Kelly, Daniel Mays, Eddie Marsan, Sally Hawkins, Ruth Sheen, Helen Coker

Cinematography

Dick Pope

Director

Mike Leigh

Music

Andrew Dickson

Other

Tim Fraser, Jim Clark, Ed Walsh, Andrew Grant, Jacqueline Durran, Eve Stewart

Producer

Alain Sarde, Simon Channing-Williams, Thin Man, Alain Sarde, Les Films, Fine Line Features

Awards

British Acad. 2004: Actress (Staunton), Costume Des., Director (Leigh).