#14: WICKED LITTLE LETTERS

STARRING: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Lolly Adefope, Eileen Atkins and Timothy Spall. Written by Jonny Sweet. Directed by Thea Sharrock. Running time 100 minutes.

Promoted as a 'hilarious' black comedy the action set in the seaside town of Littlehampton in the 1920s, where a series of incredibly rude hand-written poison pen letters are being sent to the inhabitants, and in particular the family of spinster Edith Swan (Olivia Colman), her elderly mother Victoria Swan (Gemma Jones) and  her super-tyrannical and brutal father, Edward Swann (Timothy Spall). Suspicion falls on her next-door neighbour, a young, fiesty, sexually-active, foul-mouthed, Irish neighbour, Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley) a widowed single-mother dating a black jazz guitarist. When the latest letter arrives, Edward blows his stack and drags the police in to investigate, within minutes Rose is arrested, charged and and a trial is set three months hence, where if found guilty Rose stands to lose not only her liberty but also her daughter. 

Not everyone believes Rose is guilty, especially Woman Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) who is determined to prove her innocence, despite the attentions of the rest of the man-dominated police force and the weight of the national press. As the story unfolds we learn of the rise and fall of the relationship between Rose and Edith, and the 'whodunnit' aspect takes over the plot to varying degrees of success.

This is an okay movie, which is quite funny, although most of the comedy comes from watching the assorted cast swearing their heads off. The film is populated by the usual crowd of wacky English eccentrics only found in British movies. Olivia and Jessie give great performances, both seemingly relishing their roles, while Timothy Spall delivers a deeply effective performance as Edith's vindictive and bullying father, Edward.

Unfortunately the overall tone is off kilter, the film weaves too often between wacky Ealing Comedy and social commentary or kitchen drama, usually in the blink of an eye, and some of the shoe-horned in modern day affectations particularly with the bizarre choices of cast, just undermines the film authenticity and keeps dragging the audience back into reality whenever it looks as if they're too engrossed in the film.

The trailer painted this film as an out-and-out comedy, like some-sort of a later-day Ealing comedy but with added grade A swearing, although in truth the reason behind the letters and the tormented home life of Edith makes this a film of two halves, which at times don't sit entirely well together.   

Still, at a 100 minutes this is pleasantly brisk and unoffensive little fucking flick.

7/10