Rent Wicked Little Letters (2023)

Era wonkey - Wicked Little Letters review by HM

Based on a true story apparently. However, the swearing which peppers the whole film seemed more local council estate 2024 than the 1920s. My older working class lady relatives would be spinning in their graves as their values would not have allowed this in their households. And as usual an over representation of black people who almost certainly didn't live in an English seaside town in those days and the national population was tiny and mostly living in ports to my knowledge. The only black female police constable in England pops up? And of course the men are all inept idiots, not least the police so that the only cop who could sort the situation is said black female cop. The casting seemed more like diversity propaganda which seems to be a priority amongst the London art elite these days.

Eventually it gets started and is amusing, but for me the woke, feminist nonsense spoilt it. The TRUE story would have been more impactive, especially not including day to day swearing as this distracted from the abnormal language used in the 'letters'.

On the positive side the female leads give top notch performances.

very funny - tonally wobbly - Wicked Little Letters review by AER

This very funny story is about a poison pen letter case in 1920s Sussex. It's only when the film occasionally veers away from the humour does it falter. The cast is very funny and it's all very Brit-com. Enjoyable and worth a look if you can handle all the very blue language.

Entertaining British Comedy - Wicked Little Letters review by GI

Based on a true story that was no doubt not at all funny to those involved this drama plays it for the laughs and whilst the humour comes from swearing, indicating that it might be a bit puerile, it mostly works very well mainly due to the stellar cast and the period in which the narrative is set. However the comedy is often clunky and the film gradually drifts into farce bordering on silliness with a strong influence of the Carry On style. That is a shame because in here is an interesting tale that, arguably, would have been better served by something more nuanced and semi-serious. Set in 1920 in a small English seaside town which is rocked by a scandal as several locals begin to receive letters in the mail that are sexually graphic and insulting. One of the recipients is Edith (Olivia Colman), a devout and sanctimonious spinster, who lives with her domineering father (Timothy Spall) and timid mother (Gemma Jones). When another such letter arrives the father heads off to the police station and accuses their neighbour, the Irish immigrant Rose (Jessie Buckley), who has a reputation for coarse language and behaviour. The police are convinced they've caught the culprit and Rose is jailed awaiting trial. But one police officer and some of the local women are not as convinced and start their own investigation. There are broad characters portrayed here from the patriarchal and christian men to the uptight and sexually repressed women who are shocked by the antics of Rose. In that sense this is very much a British style comedy and very reminiscent of 50s Ealing style and early 60's farce. But the film is entertaining for the most part and worth checking out especially as Buckley and Colman are always worth watching.