There's a gentleness and sweetness to "Vera Drake" that belies how edgy, controversial and ugly some of the material is.
Obviously, that's what Mike Leigh was going for with this fact-based, '50s-period drama, which broaches the hot-button topic of abortion. Surprisingly, neither Leigh nor the film really takes a position on the subject, and the low-key storytelling methods make what happens in the movie even more powerful.
No matter where you do stand on the central issue, there's no denying how strong the performances are by the entire cast — the best being British character actress Imelda Staunton, who plays the title character, a hard-working mother in post-World War II London.
Vera has a good heart. She's always looking looking after her relatives and even looks in on neighbors, making sure they're all doing as well as they can. But unbeknownst to everyone — even her faithful, loving husband, Stan (Phil Davis) — Vera is secretly and illegally practicing abortions on the side. However, she's not profiting from it; she's just "helping" impoverished young women deal with unwanted pregnancies.
Leigh really doesn't delve into the morality issue here. Instead, he's more interested in the human drama side of things, and the film explores how Vera's eventual arrest affects her husband and grown children (Daniel Mays and Alex Kelly). The subject matter may turn away some audiences automatically, and so, too, will the sometimes self-indulgent pacing. As with all of Leigh's films, there are at least a couple of scenes that drag on longer than they should.
Still, the film is thoughtful in the way it examines the social mores of the time period (most of the characters can't even bear to say the word "abortion"). And the cast is terrific. Staunton's heartbreaking turn as the title character is the standout, but Davis holds his own as her significant other. So does Eddie Marsan, in a supporting role as a down-on-his-luck neighbor whom Vera befriends.
"Vera Drake" is rated R for brief scene of simulated sex and other sexual contact, a brief rape scene, and scattered use of mild profanity and racial epithets. Running time: 125 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com