By – Gareth Jones

For fans of Olivia Coleman, true stories from British history, profanity

Olivia Coleman is at an all-time high.  She has become an international treasure, beloved for her performance as Queen Elizabeth on The Crown, her Academy Award performance in The Favorite, and just recently for her small, but powerful role as Andrea Terry, the chef mentor to Carmine.  She can even sing like an angel (look up her Massive Attack performance.)  Here, she finds herself playing a character that could only be performed by her.

Wicked Little Letters is based on the true story of the small town of Littlehampton in England after World War I that was overwhelmed by a series of anonymous profanity-laced letters. At first they were directed at one woman, the saintly Edith Swann, before expanding to many people in the community.  A foul-mouthed Irish single mother, Rose Gooding, was accused of being the author, but it ended up being the holier than thou neighbor, Edith, who was the culprit.  Coleman is perfect as Edith Swan, bringing her brilliance to the performance, building a character who is doing horrible things, but is extremely sympathetic.  She is dominated by her abusive father, played by the always marvelous Timothy Spall. His hypocrisy is measured with Spall’s always present charms. This is essential for us to connect to what could have been a one-dimensional character. This is true for both performances.  I can’t think of another actor like Coleman who could make someone who is so unlikable such a likable person. The pure delight on her face writing the horrible letters pulls the audience into the character’s viewpoint.

Opposite Coleman is Jessie Buckley as the fiery Rose.  She also does a marvelous job balancing the tough as nails exterior to the challenged single mother just trying to survive in a society that is completely against her. Her love for her daughter and wanting a better life for her is palpable.  Buckley has had quite a run as a performer as well, starting off as a singer and moving into a variety of roles on screen and on stage. She brings all of her range to this performance that moves from hilarious to tragic.

Other noted performances are given by Gemma Jones as Edith’s browbeaten mother, and Anjana Vasan as “Female Police Officer Gladys Moss” who goes against her commanding officer’s orders to stay away from investigating the case.  Finally, the iconic Eileen Atkins makes an appearance as one of a  duo of women who team up with Moss to catch Edith in the act of writing the letters. All of these performances are directed by Thea Sharrock, a highly successful theater director who moved into film directing in 2016 with the rightly criticized Me Before You.  This is a huge improvement over that film.

One of the best aspects of this film is that you will be able to expand your swearing language considerably after viewing it.  New combinations of profanity will be at your disposal. It is an entertaining film that depicts a long lost era where writing a letter meant a great deal, and you could get away with a level of anonymity. Today, most communication is instantly traceable and regrettable.

Available to stream on Netflix