Call the Mother F'n Midwife

Wicked Little Letters opens by telling the viewer that the film they are about see is a lot closer to real life events than they would think. While there are plenty of similarities between the film and the real life case of abusive letters in a 1920s sea side town the nastier edges have been sanded off to make a crowd pleasing comedy.

The story centres around neighbours Edith Swan (Olivia Coleman) and Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley) after Edith begins to receive foul-mouthed letters from an anonymous ne'er-do-well. They are complete opposites, with hard drinking and foul-mouthed single mum Rose putting the frighteners up the street while the prim and proper Edith still lives at home with her overbearing parents. Despite their differences the two had struck up a friendship but a falling out prior to the start of the letters arriving means Rose is suspect number one.

The story, while slight, is interesting and the period setting is well realised but the film's two main strengths are the fact its genuinely funny and has a fantastic cast. Buckley sells Rose as both the tough, cynical survivor and the tender mother while Coleman adds some spikiness to the naive, well spoken home bunny she could play in her sleep. The supporting cast are excellent too, ranging from Joanna Scanlan's hilarious farmer to Timothy Spall's controlling father. Particular props to Anjana Vasan as the only competent cop forced to watch in bewilderment from the sidelines because she is female.

While everything is well paced and entertaining the film does have some balance issues. Director Thea Sharrock and writer Jonny Sweet succeed in giving the audience a good time but the light hearted tone can make the handling of issues such as sexism, prejudice, poverty and mental abuse feel a little too twee. There is also a noticeable shift every time Timothy Spall is on screen as his character is such a piece of garbage that the joy is sucked out the room whenever he appears.

Overall, Wicked Little Letters is a fun period piece with a couple of great leads who elevate the material from could watch to should watch.

7 foxy behinds out of 10.

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