Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you’re interested in the suffragette movement.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 106 minutes (~1.75 hours)
“Suffragette” is a British historical drama about the suffragette movement. It follows the unintentional rise of a young laundress into a key member of the suffragettes in Britain. It stars Carey Mulligan (Maud Watts), Helena Bonham Carter (Edith Ellyn), Meryl Streep (Emmeline Pankhurst), Natalie Press (Emily Davison), Anne-Marie Duff (Violet Miller), Romola Garai (Alice Haughton), Ben Whishaw (Sonny Watts), Brendan Gleeson (Steed), and Adam Michael Dodd (George Watts). It is rated PG-13.
“Suffragette” starts off slowly as it eases you into the perspectives of downtrodden women in the early 1900s. Don’t be fooled by the sleepy opening though, as the action mirrors the empowerment of the heroine, Maud. It quickly picks up in the second half of the film as Maud gains confidence in the righteousness of her cause, and bowls you over with many intense scenes after that.
Highlights
Sonny Watts is a sympathetic and rounded character
Sonny is just a regular Joe in a patriarchal world, and the film takes the time to explore the world from his perspective as well. Even though he comes across as one of the secondary antagonists of the film, you can’t help but sympathise with his plight. It’s not that he’s against the suffragette movement, but he’s not willing to give up as much as Maud does, and the eventual degradation of their relationship is painful yet inevitable. The choices he makes are difficult but crucial, resulting in him sacrificing almost as much as Maud does.
Heartbreaking sacrifices
The second half of the film sees the main characters enduring terrible losses, even as their movement gains ground. It’s almost as if their progress has to be equally matched by terrible punishment, be it in terms of their own physical wellbeing or the people around them. Adam Michael Dodd gives an especially teary performance in one of these sacrifices.
Violet Miller is an intriguing guide into the suffragette world
While Maud acts our avatar in this film, Violet acts as the deliverer of exposition, to help us understand how everything works within the world of “Suffragette.” And even though she has a tough role to play, she manages to infuse her own style and character into her performance, giving us a character that we’d love to know more about. Sadly, her own arc isn’t as developed as fully as it should have been, leaving us wanting more of what she could have delivered.
Letdowns
Antagonists have weak motivations
While Steed and the police officers are doing their job in opposing the suffragettes, it all feels a little artificial. Perhaps the director noticed that, for Steed had to give a short monologue about why he finds it so important to clamp down on the suffragette movement. But it’s not enough, and the antagonists feel like they’re there just to provide conflict, rather than being characters in and of themselves.
Carey Mulligan’s performance is disappointing
Despite being the main character, Maud just doesn’t seem all that inspiring or sympathetic as a main character. She reacts to situations, rather than taking the initiative to push the plot forward. While this passiveness eventually dwindles as her character evolves into a stronger and more independent woman, it also means that her victories are a result of circumstance rather than actions.
“Suffragette” brings a fresh perspective to an era that would be unthinkable in today’s context, humanised by a strong supporting cast.
“Suffragette” opens in cinemas 31 December, 2015 (Thursday).
I saw a movie exactly like this one but dealing with US women’s right to vote. It was called Iron Jawed Angels and starred Hilary Swank. It’ll be interesting to compare the two.