Wicked Little Letters

Directed by: Thea Sharrock

Written by: Jonny Sweet

A story that’s more true than you think introduces us to Little Hampton in 1920’s England. Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) has received yet another anonymous and very personal and abusive letter, much to the distress of her father (Timothy Spall) and mother (Gemma Jones). The police are involved and the accused is next door neighbour Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), an Irish single mum, with a wild side and a colourful use of language who is arrested and charged. But when woman police officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) starts to doubt Rose’s guilt she rallies a small group of towns women to help clear Rose’s name and find the real culprit.

I was surprised to see some pretty sniffy reviews of this, because I had a really good time with what is a crazy true story. If nothing else there’s wonderful joy to be had in hearing Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley use some fine industrial language, and if you don’t enjoy that then you are doing it wrong! But this film has more to it than that. It’s a film with a surprising dark side and both a  sadness and warmth to it.

The script is fun, but does explore some dark attitudes to immigrants, womens rights and coercive control. And while it never delves too deeply it’s an undercurrent that plays well throughout.

The cast are fabulous Colman and Buckley are great and as always a joy. Anjana Vasan’s determined police woman often steals the show. Add to that Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones, Hugh Skinner’s bumbling policeman, Joanna Scanlan and Eileen Atkins you have brilliantly watchable ensemble.

I had a great time with Wicked Little Letters. While there is lots to enjoy in Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley’s use of “language” there is much more to it than that. It has a sadness, darkness and warmth I’d not expected. It is a well written telling of a strange and rather sad story brought to life by a fabulously watchable cast.