Wicked Little Letters (2024)

User Review

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  ScreenZealots

  6 / 10

  The deliciously vulgar “Wicked Little Letters” is a foul-mouthed, mild-mannered comedy that brings a farcical letter writing scandal to a 1920s English seaside town. Based on a true story, this is a tale of misogyny, hypocrisy, repression, and female rage against overly restrictive and discriminatory societal norms. Director Thea Sharrock and screenwriter Jonny Sweet don’t break a lot of new ground, but the film is fun and spirited in a way that’s highly amusing.
  
  The pious, uptight conservative Edith (Olivia Colman) and rowdy, outspoken Rose (Jessie Buckley) are estranged neighbors. When Edith and some of the fellow residents began receiving profane letters in a massive scandal, the famously indelicate Rose is suspected of and charged with the crime. The community’s police officer (Anjana Vasan) feels that something seems amiss, so she enlists the help of some of the female townsfolk to launch her own investigation into who actually is sending the poisoned-pen letters.
  
  It’s a cute idea for a story, but the mystery isn’t a complex one. Most viewers should be able to solve the simple whodunit fairly early on, which robs the film of much of its substance. Where the film finds humor is in the obscene and malicious language in the very rude letters. They’re funny forms of self expression and honesty, which reflects the more meaningful and deeper feminist themes of the film.
  
  What makes this worth watching is the cast and the odd coupling of Colman and Buckley. Both are robust talents in roles that play to their individual strengths. Buckley gets to have fun with Rose’s oversized personality, while Colman demonstrates a quietly controlled rage and restraint while still eliciting sympathy. These characters clash in the most perfect tandem, creating a dynamic onscreen pairing for the lead actors.
  
  While very sharp and funny, “Wicked Little Letters” doesn’t serve up the riotous, laugh-a-minute style of comedy that many crave. This is more of a story-driven film that features a stuffy and proper British style of humor that complements the narrative nicely.
  
  By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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