FilmSnobReviews

Title: Wicked Little Letters
MPA Rating: R
Director: Thea Sharrock
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Olivia Colman, Anjana Vasan
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins

What It Is: The town of Littlehampton has been plagued with an epidemic. This problem isn’t some sort of disease hitting the citizens. No, instead there’s been many, rather scandalous letters sent to the citizens of the town. One towns person in particular one Miss Edith Swan (Colman) has been a often targeted person. There’s only one suspect. The rambunctious Rose Gooding (Buckley). Everyone thinks she did it, given her reputation, but did she really? The towns only lady police officer Gladys Moss (Vasan) doesn’t think so.

What We Think: This is a fun little film. It is funny for what it is. Jessie Buckley fully embodies her characters very “punk rock” attitude towards everything. Olivia Colman for her part is very much the uppity bitch Edith Swan should be. Timothy Spall is insufferable as Edith’s father Edward. The biggest surprise is Anjana Vasan. I’d not seen her in much but here she’s the heart and soul of the plot. She moves it along well. Thea Sharrock puts a ton of love into this and it’s clear from the start this is a tale she wanted told.

Our Grade: B-, This is a very funny film that will fall under the radar for most. It’s not a “can’t miss” but its certainly a “wouldn’t be mad about” type of film. Solid performances and a hilarious premise are all grafted together super well. This is a film worth checking out and laughing with a few friends over. Not a technical marvel by any means but a well done, well-written piece. I wish we’d have gotten a bit more on the suffragettes and their goal of being able to vote. Sadly, it was not to be. Subtle jabs at Christian conservatism were a bit to easy. It was punching down but still funny. Easy concept, easily executed.