Suffragette

We've seen many films in which they center the film around wrongs being made right. The list is endless: "The Color Purple", "The Ghosts of Mississippi", "A Time to Kill", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Butler", "Selma", "12 Years a Slave", plus many others too numerous to name. In a time of so much racial tension, which is a problem, there are certainly other stories that showcase suppression in our history and one story is in the form of "Suffragette".

London 1912. This drama tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State. These women, including Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), Edith Ellyn (Helena Bonham Carter), Emily Davison (Natalie Press) and Violet Miller (Anne-Marie Duff), were not primarily from the genteel educated classes, they were working women who had seen peaceful protest achieve nothing. Radicalized and turning to violence as the only route to change, they were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality-- their right to vote, their jobs, their homes, their children and their lives. Maud was one such foot soldier. The story of her fight for dignity is as gripping and visceral as any thriller, it is also heart-breaking and inspirational. This story based on true events also begins after a four decades fight for their rights with nothing at this point to show for it.

Others to round out the cast are Ben Whishaw as Sonny Watts, Maud's husband, Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of this movement, Romola Garai as Alice Haughton, Brendan Gleeson as Inspector Arthur Steed, Morgan Watkins as Detective Malcolm Walsop, Finbar Lynch as Hugh Ellyn, Edith's husband, Geoff Bell as Norman Taylor and Adam Michael Todd as George Watts, Maud and Sonny's son.

This was incredibly and painstakingly well directed by Sarah Gavron ("This Little Life" (TV movie) '03, "Brick Lane" '07, "Village at the End of the World" (Documentary) '12) plus others. For a director who doesn't have as much experience as this film shows, she is phenomenal. These actors exuded just the right amount of emotion at the exact time that was needed, and sure, these are proven actors, however this clearly showcases the talent of the one directing them. This was equally well written by the incomparable Abi Morgan ("Brick Lane" '07, "Royal Wedding" (TV movie) '10, "Shame" '11, "The Iron Lady" '11, "The Invisible Woman" '13). Truly this writer hasn't got a huge amount of experience, but the experience that's presented is without question some of the finest screenplays in recent filmdom. "The Iron Lady" with Meryl Streep was phenomenal! This writer has to be in great demand in Hollywood today and will, undoubtedly be nominated come Oscar time.

What can I say, the writing, directing and acting was simply amazing, as was the production values. This film obviously has a lot to say, and with this, is a film all should see and experience. We take so much for granted today, and think we have it so hard. Watch this and then turn to an older woman and hug her and say thank-you for what your generation sacrificed for our freedoms.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG-13                               106mins.