‘Wicked Little Letters’ movie review – Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman star in this quintessential British comedy
They are part of a top-notch cast that delivers stellar performances in this 1920s-set film
Wicked Little Letters opens with an assertion of the veracity of the super-narrative on screen. You know, that one piece of on-screen text that says it’s “based on” or “inspired by” a true story. This particular film is said to be “truer than you think”. This means there is little real history here. The fact is that World War I was real, and women in 1920s Britain were mainly reserved and polite and did not write anonymous poison pen letters describing people as having “foxy personalities”. And also the fact that it was expected.
In fact, Wicked Little Letters is a pure British period comedy, mechanically designed to attract a certain middle-aged audience with a huge appetite for froth. So it’s thoroughly enjoyable, if not as interesting as you might think. The cast is at least top notch, their performances as crisp as starched linen.
Olivia Colman is Edith Swann, a straight-talking Christian and the titular letter recipient who lives in Littlehampton. She and her father Edward (Timothy Spall) are convinced it comes from Irish single mother Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), who lives next door, as Rose often swears. There is some wrong language in the letter. This is enough circumstantial evidence for the careless local police, except for Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan), who is a highly respected police officer. She teams up with various local women (Eileen Atkins, Joanna Scanlan, Rory Adefope) to find the real culprit.
Also Read: Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Visit Sydney Zoo During Arival In Australia
Director Thea Sherlock has brought a dash of humor to the film. But Johnny Sweet’s script is soft and sticky when it needs a little more bite. When the bad guy is revealed, it’s what you always expected, tattered and crooked and not that bad, but just another victim of the patriarchy’s path.
Speaking of which, it’s a little strange that sexism is an issue in this fabricated version of my home county in the 1920s, but racism magically isn’t. Everyone, including Gladys and Rose’s boyfriend Bill (Malachi Kirby), is completely kind to people of color. Colorblind casting is admirable, but given the timing, it’s unfortunately unlikely. Wicked Little Letters may be “more true than you think,” but it’s a lot less true than you think.