Vera Drake (DVD)

As far as the DVD goes there isn't much to review concerning Vera Drake considering there isn't a single feature on the whole thing, but as far as the movie goes that is an entirely different story.

As you may already know if you are reading this review, Imelda Staunton was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar this past year and while she lost out to Hilary Swank some will talk your ear off how either Staunton or Bening for Being Julia deserved the Oscar, and they certainly have a case.

If you are unfamiliar with Being Julia check that out here as it is just as compelling a performance, but as for Staunton this is a major statement made by an actress that hasn't necessarily made a name for herself on the big screen in box-office successes despite playing a small role as Gwyneth Paltrow's nurse in Shakespeare in Love.

In Vera Drake, Staunton embodies the title character with such grace and elegance that the believability of the story is enhanced to such a magnificent degree.

Set in London, 1950, the story of Vera Drake follows the title character through her everyday life as housewife and mother. Nice to everyone she meets, and some may say too nice, but there is never a harsh word for Vera as her and her family make up one of the happiest on-screen families you will ever meet.

Crammed into tight living quarters, her daughter Ethel, works in a light-bulb factory, her son, Sid, is an extremely likeable apprentice tailor and her husband, Stan, is a mechanic in his brother Frank's garage.

But outside of Vera's housewife duties she has a bit of an occupation herself and it is one that is going to change her and her family's life forever.

The film finds its dramatic tension as Vera visits the house of a distressed young girl. with kind words and a shoulder to cry on Vera settles the woman down and with the help of a bar of soap, disinfectant, a large bowl of water, cheese grater and a rubber syringe she proceeds to give the woman an abortion.

I can only the scene is shocking and the overall outcome of the movie is an absolute masterpiece seamlessly laid out by writer/director Mike Leigh and his cast, most notably, besides Staunton is the part played by Daniel Mays, who plays Vera's son Sid.

I made mention of Mays' performance in my Oscar contender article on Vera Drake as I felt he deserved at least a supporting nod for his emotional and heart-wrenching performance.

The only problem with Vera Drake as a DVD, like last year's Oscar-winning film Monster, is that it is a tough watch more than once. As a film it is spectacular and I can go on and on with kind words, but my chances of watching it again are slim as its content is not exactly the uplifting kind.

Film lovers will enjoy Vera Drake and may actually be able to get enraptured enough in the story and acting that they are able to watch it more than once, but for your casual moviegoer this is a movie you will probably only be able to stomach the first time.