Wicked Little Letters
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Timothy Spall
Directed By: Thea Sharrock
I knew very little about Wicked Little Letters before seeing the movie. I’ve seen practically zero advertisements, which is a shame! You’d think a British historical movie with Olivia Colman could get plenty of elderly people (and me) into the theater! Don’t worry, because AMC A-List put it in the Now Playing section, so I found it!
Directed by Thea Sharrock, Wicked Little Letters tells the true story of a scandal in the small town of Littlehampton as scandalous, awful letters sent through town rock the community. Fingers are pointed immediately at newcomer Rose (Jessie Buckley), the Irish wildcard who speaks her mind loudly on every occasion. But a few people have their doubts about Rose’s guilt. Is she the writer? If not, who would have any motive to write the letters?
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I think a lot of that is due to the performances and the characterization. Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman are excellent leading the cast as Rose and Edith, two complete opposites. Rose is perceived as the “loose cannon” who speaks her mind, even when it costs her. Edith is the reserved “Godly” woman in town who never reveals her feelings about anything. The juxtaposition of the two characters throughout the film is extremely interesting as one is lauded as a beacon of the community but the other is treated like trash. Another standout in the cast is Anjana Vasan as Gladys Moss, a police officer intrigued by the case. Her interest in the case keeps it alive, leading to a unique investigation. Through its unique characterization, the film depicts themes of misogyny, repression, and stereotypes in a fascinating way.
In terms of the screenplay, I do think the mystery could have been kept under wraps a bit longer. It’s pretty clear who is writing the letters and the big reveal happens early in the movie. Yes, this is a true story, so it’s information anyone can find. For a mystery film, I would have enjoyed a little more suspense about the actual writer.
Wicked Little Letters is an intriguing movie with excellent performances about a very peculiar historical event. It’s a little light on mystery but there’s plenty of well-rounded characterization to make up for it!
My Rating: 7/10