Vera Drake

Starring: Adrian Scarborough, Heather Craney, Imelda Staunton, Daniel Mays, Alex Kelly

Directed by: Mike Leigh

RS: 3.5of 4 Stars

2004 New Line Cinema Drama

Powerful drama about abortion maybe you've never seen Imelda Staunton on the English stage or caught her in films such as Crush and Peter's Friends. But she'll blow you away as Vera Drake, a wife and mum in 1950s London who sidelines doing illegal abortions. For no money, of course. Her scheming friend Lily (the brilliant Ruth Sheen) covertly pockets the cash. Vera just wants to help the poor dears who can't help themselves, unlike the rich, who can afford safe, private clinics. What could have been soap opera is lifted to the realm of stirring human drama through the intimate artistry of Staunton. This is acting at its finest. And the bar is raised further by writer-director Mike Leigh (Naked, Secrets and Lies), who contrasts Vera's secret life with her loving time at home with husband Stan (the fine Phil Davis) and their grown children. Though Leigh doesn't moralize, he unsparingly details the crude implements Vera uses to induce a miscarriage. And when a patient nearly dies and the police bust in to arrest Vera at a family dinner, her world collapses. Using Staunton's face as his canvas, Leigh crafts a powerfully moving film that is unmissable and unforgettable.