Wicked Little Letters will be screening in UK and Irish cinemas from Friday 23rd February from Studiocanal.
Synopsis
A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction true story, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS follows two neighbours: deeply conservative local Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) and rowdy Irish migrant Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women – led by Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) – begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.
Review
What could be better than Olivia Colman in a period film that can turn the air blue? Olivia Colman co-starring with Jessie Buckley in a period film that can turn the air blue. That’s what. Director Thea Sharrock takes on a real-life mystery from 1920’s in this brand new Britcom which is sure to delight as much as it is to shock.
Set in the quaint seaside village of Littlehampton, Colman plays Edith Swan a local stalwart who still lives with her parents (Timothy Spall and Gemma Jones) after the rest of the family has moved on. Edith has been receiving some titular wicked little letters which she believes are from next door neighbour Rose Gooding (Buckley). Gooding came to Littlehampton from Ireland, escaping a troubled past after her husband was killed during the war. She arrives with daughter Nancy (Alisha Weir) and boyfriend Bill (Malachi Kirby) and it isn’t long until her free-spirited antics are raising eyebrows around the neighbourhood.
After initially becoming friends Edith and the foul-mouthed Rose have a falling out. That’s when it all began. Edith begins receiving sweary, innuendo laden letters which would be enough to send any pensioner to an early grave. The easy conclusion to jump to is the angry, drunk, train wreck of a next door neighbour and so the policy are quickly called in. Cue the entrance of Sussex’s first female police officer Gladys (Anjana Vasan). Between her chauvinistic colleagues (Paul Chahidi and Hugh Skinner) and her own self-confidence, Gladys has an uphill battle in convincing the authorities to take a closer look at the case.
Wicked Little Letters sells itself as a crude comedy through its hilarious theatrical trailer. Our first look at the film sets up the fractious relationship between the two leading ladies. It gives a great insight in to the foul-mouthed humour and the kind of laughs that are to be expected. But this isn’t the whole picture. Those expecting more of the same may be disappointed to learn that Wicked Little Letters has a wonderful heart beating beneath the surface. Jonny Sweet’s agile script has the ability to make us laugh in one beat and cry in the next. Its comedic elements have pull focus from the story of a single-mother in danger of losing her daughter. Likewise that drama doesn’t offset the comedy to bring down the mood.
That success and that versatility is absolutely down to the trio of leading ladies. Yes I’m including the wonderful Anjana Vasan because she really shoulders as much of the narrative weight as Colman and Buckley. All three together are absolute dynamite. Each brings something different to the table and combined that adds up to something really special.
There’s a real sense of empowerment baked in to the DNA of Sweet’s script. Each of the three leading ladies is perfectly cast to bring a different approach. Through Wicked Little Letters period setting and its family dynamics, each character brings a unique point of view which feels, at least to this reviewer, that something we don’t see every day on the big screen. Another reason why this film is so special.
The core mystery as to the author of the letters is the stuff of history. One can easily find the truth of the matter online and so its outcome in the film is inevitable. That being said, I went in to this without researching the real story. Early in the film I had an inkling who the real author was but there was enough reasonable doubt that I had a second culprit in mind. Ultimately it doesn’t matter. What’s really important to Wicked Little Letters is the camaraderie between its characters and escapism it offers for 100 minutes of pure Britcom fun.
Verdict
Whilst Wicked Little Letters trailer brilliant sells is crude escapist fun, the film itself is a strikingly heartfelt and wonderfully acted story of sisterhood and family.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
