Vera Drake
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.00 You Save: $26.98 (96%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Vera Drake
Movie Review: Never again... Never again... Never again...
Summary: 5 Stars
I wholeheartedly agree with the many reviewers who rightly suggested that Imelda Staunton should have received an Oscar for this simply stunning performance. The other striking performance came from Helen Coker, who played WPC Best, the Woman Police Constable who was so intelligently sympathetic and respectful to Vera, as were some of the male officers.
This haunting movie, set in 1950s England, is chillingly relevant even today, as Bush's self-righteous Bible thumpers are poised to overturn Roe Vs Wade and plunge American women back into the Dark Ages. If that, what will be next? Inquisition 2, and another 9 million 'menstrual murders' (The Wise Wound)?
These are strong words, I know. They need to be. As hinted at in Vera Drake, the wealthy American Conservatives know that they can always send their pregnant daughters up to Canada for legal abortions, while poor women will be left with unthinkable options of the kind employed by Vera Drake.
Abortion should never be treated lightly. It is a haunting, life-changing decision for the vast majority of women who find themselves in the position of having an unwanted pregnancy; and the handful of women who repeatedly use abortion as a form of birth control should be sterilized on principle.
An unforgettable movie. Let's hope we never see the likes of those days again. If we do, the troops currently out in Iraq might be needed on the streets of the US.
Movie Review: Incredible film
Summary: 5 Stars
Genre: Drama, Foreign (English language)
Genre Grade: A
Final Grade: A
This was an amazing film about a nice little old lady doing something she believed was right. She was so innocent in her ways that she did not realize the gravity of what she was doing. Or perhaps she did but truly did not feel any remorse or wrongdoing in what she did. The acting from Imelda Staunton was superb (no wonder she was nominated for so many awards), and the story itself is extremely sad but holds a powerful message. It offers no strong conclusion, but leaves it up to the viewer to decide whether the fate of Vera Drake was fair or not.
I have my own views on abortion (which most of you know that I am strongly against it), but I can't help but appreciate the message this movie brings forth. It reminded me of The Cider House Rules in that its message gave some hint to how pro-choice people feel. It is important to me to understand controversial issues before making firm opinions on them, but even then I am never for sure, because I strongly believe that it is up to the individual to believe what they wish to believe. I am anti-abortion, but I don't think my views should be enforced on people who feel differently.
Sorry for the social commentary, I realize this is only supposed to be a movie review. Just pass it off as bad journalism.
Movie Review: Stark, dark, powerful and very real.
Summary: 5 Stars
Vera Drake is set in post-war 1950's and starts out as a lovely film about an endearing, kind, caring older woman, almost the ideal grandmother. Then we are introduced to the subject of the film, abortion. But the way this is done really shows the broad range of people involved with that issue, from judges and police, to psychiatrists and money-grubbing profiteers and somewhere in there is the lovely well-intentioned Very Drake who truly convincingly does what she does out of 'love' for troubled young women. Its a fabulous film on so many levels, inviting us to question just how dangerous the actions of even the best-intentioned people can sometimes be. On another level its about responsible medicine and the dangers of non-medical people assuming knowledge in medical areas with no recall or follow up for those they 'treat'. The ultimate victims here end up being the family and the film captures brilliantly Vera as the blind optimist who seems never even to have considered this side effect of her actions. Its a powerful film which seems almost politically neutral on the subject and yet manages to shed light on every facet of it in the most starkest of ways.Movie Review: This isn't a film about abortion rights - it's just a film
Summary: 5 Stars
Contrary to what at least one reviewer wrote, this isn't a film about morality. Although the character of Vera Drake is immensely likeable, the women she meets at the end of the movie most certainly are not. Neither is the woman who arranges Vera's abortions.
This is simply a film about a woman who tried to "help girls out", because, as we can surmise during her interview with the Inspector, something happened to her when she was young and poor, and she needed someone to help her out. The film did, indeed, demonstrate that if you have money you can have an abortion, so instead of morality, perhaps those that are offended by abortion (and seriously, does anyone *like* abortion?) should view this as a film about class structure. How the wealthy get what they need, and the poor have to scrounge about in the gutter.
Aside from Imelda Staunton's spectacular performance, the film impressed me with it's quiet elegance. It addressed a "hot" topic, and it could have delivered this to us with thunderheads. Instead, it addressed it with grace, and allowed us - liberal and conservative alike - to draw our own conclusions.
Movie Review: Inspired drama with no clear right vs. wrong
Summary: 5 Stars
Given the plot description, I expected to watch a movie about some rabid pro-choice crusader taking on the evil, oppressive government to do right in the world. The plot turned out to be much more complex, with less well-defined villains and heroes. Vera was a saint for thinking only of saving young girls from pain and disgrace, without thinking of accepting money, right? But she also put people's lives at risk and broke the law. She had no training or credentials, and she was surprised to find out how against the law her actions were. The police weren't villains, but public servants entrusted to enforce the law. Abortion law is a larger social issue still being fought in modern Western society, and this movie is a shining example of how it affects people on a micro, personal level.
Especially at the beginning, the pacing of this movie is a bit slow, but the complete journey makes the viewing entirely worth it.