Vera Drake

R

Released Oct 10, 2004

2 hr. 5 min.

Drama

List

93%

162 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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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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

mike v

Vera Drake is a 2004 British period drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh 👵🏻 It's good 🙂 I'd recommend it if you like this genre 👍🏼 Wife. Mother. Criminal.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Mike Leigh

Director

Imelda Staunton

Vera Drake

Philip Davis

Stan

Peter Wight

Det. Inspector Webster

Adrian Scarborough

Frank

Heather Craney

Joyce

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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

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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
Executive Producer: Alain Sarde, Gail Egan
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
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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