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Vera Drake

Play trailer Poster for Vera Drake R Released Oct 10, 2004 2h 5m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 160 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In 1950s England, housekeeper Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) is a kindly wife and mother who offers selfless devotion and unwavering care to her family, which includes her husband (Philip Davis) and two grown children (Alex Kelly, Daniel Mays). However, unknown to her friends and family, Drake provides abortions to local women with unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities learn of her illegal activities, Drake loses the admiration of many around her -- and possibly her freedom.
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Vera Drake

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Critics Consensus

With a piercingly powerful performance by Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake brings teeming humanity to the controversial subject of abortion.

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Critics Reviews

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Amy Taubin Film Comment Magazine The heroine of Mike Leigh's wonderfully subtle and relentlessly harrowing new film is a cheerful, compactly built middle-aged woman who spends her waking hours in perpetual motion. Nov 19, 2013 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness Puts a tender human face on this explosive subject. Rated: B+ May 4, 2005 Full Review Dave Giannini InSession Film Much of this is due to Staunton’s performance, and sometimes her character’s borderline inability to speak. Everything you need to know about her character is shown through her tremulous speech and the terror in her eyes... Feb 20, 2024 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Vera Drake acts as a potent reminder of where society has been and it was a frightening and dangerous period of history that no woman should have to re-live and this film makes that crystal clear. Rated: 4/4 Nov 26, 2022 Full Review Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site The family scenes are meticulously constructed. Leigh's concern for the fate of his often repressed and damaged characters is genuine and rare. Mar 5, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (745) audience reviews
Alejandro E Here the greatest success was to focus on a sensitive topic without showing any partisanship, leaving the viewer the role of being the judge. To highlight Imelda Staunton, as the abortion practitioner. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/25/23 Full Review Dani G The thing I didn't liked was the lack of resolution with 2 of the characters in particular. There wasn't any, and they were forgotten since 3/4 of the movie. Or before Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/20/23 Full Review Gareth v A powerful and humane telling of a story that still has relevance today. Staunton as the hero puts in an stunning performance. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/19/23 Full Review samuel l Disappointingly dull and slow. It took far too long to get going, there were too many irrelevant and unnecessary scenes, the dialogue was very repetitive, and then the ending was a let down. The plot was realistic enough but predictable, the subplots should have been eliminated, and although the characters received some development, a few were a bit odd without explanation and several were unneeded. The acting was well done, and the sets/props/costumes looked authentic, but the cinematography, visual effects, and soundtrack were bland and dated. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Frances H An outstanding performance by Imelda Staunton. The irony is not lost from the viewer that the ritzy doctors who arrange for wealthy women to plead mental illness as the reason they can't have a baby and then operate on them safely in a hospital for a great deal of money never face a prison sentence like the one Vera gets handed down because she helps poor women who can't afford to have babies and she charges nothing for her abortions performed at the woman's home, but one bad outcome in 20 years gets her a long prison term. The difference between what happens to rich vs poor women and those who help them with their problem is drastic! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/15/21 Full Review Audience Member it's like watching a train wreck you cannot stop. Big relief to realize that this is JUST a movie Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1950s England, housekeeper Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) is a kindly wife and mother who offers selfless devotion and unwavering care to her family, which includes her husband (Philip Davis) and two grown children (Alex Kelly, Daniel Mays). However, unknown to her friends and family, Drake provides abortions to local women with unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities learn of her illegal activities, Drake loses the admiration of many around her -- and possibly her freedom.
Director
Mike Leigh
Producer
Simon Channing Williams
Screenwriter
Mike Leigh
Distributor
Fine Line Features
Production Co
Film Council, Thin Man Films, Studio Canal
Rating
R (Strong Thematic Material)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 10, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 28, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.8M
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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