Monday, August 28, 2006

Vera Drake

“I help young girls out.

How do you do that?
I help them start bleeding again.

Don’t you feel that it is wrong?
No

And for how long have you been doing this?
I don’t remember. A long time.

Around 10, 20 years? 20 years?
[Nods]

Mrs. Vera Drake, do you know it is a severe crime to conduct abortions?
[sobs]

How much were you paid?
No dear, I never took any money. I just helped them.”

This was the main theme and the most moving scene in the highly acclaimed movie (critics), Vera Drake. Her helplessness and fear of seeing her world fall apart as the severity of the crime in the eyes of the law (which has been a noble act on her part) sinks into her is done immensely well.

Based on 1950s England. Vera (Imelda Stuanton) is a middle-aged lady who is really compasionate about others and is often seen humming as she cleans and scrubs as a domestic help in many households. She has a very loving life partner in her husband who is a mechanic and two children and they lead a very modest lifestyle.

She looks after her mom and paralysed neighbour. She also conducts abortions of young girls who could not or does not want to go through legitimate channels by local procedures.

One fine evening as she was partying with her family for her daughter’s engagement, the police march in. One of the girls, whom she had helped had complications and was admitted to the hospital brining law into the picture.

The setting is really subtle and the pace of the movie is slow with the protagonist in almost all the frames.

Not for Pepsi-Cola-drinking, Pop-corn-eating, designer-wear-loving, beautiful-bods-on-screen-liking audience. e.g: KANK [because I haven't watched it, :-) I am making fun of those who did]

The movie changes your mood and gets you involved.

10 comments:

Arun Gopalan said...

But I like the name KANK. The name itself has a message to the public "This movie is long, very long. So dont even think saying Alvida yet!"

Anonymous said...

Hi Arunima,

I can handle ghosts at cemetary or anaconda in planes but not this blog. I understand this reality with a sigh. US is so divided on this matter !! There are some ardent catholics who kill doctors because they did this stuff.

On the lighter side, morning after pill has been sanctioned by FDA. Cool. There will be less bloodshed in this world. See, my kid farm will never be a reality !

Dubba

Invincible said...

Did you say 'abortion for Free !'
:)
OK i know i've butchered the tempo here.
I will search for this title on P2P. Where did you watch it btw ? it's a 1994 movie (per imdb).

Anonymous said...

well...it sounds extremely interesting and ngaging...must watch! thank for your two cents :)

and I love the last couple of lines on KANK..

*suddenly remembers she is also being made fun of and runs away*

seriously_frivolous said...

sounds interesting..will let you know after I watch it...

manuscrypts said...

vera interesting!!

junat said...

well seems worth a watch ...
how old is this movie ???

Himanshu said...

My friend is offering me a VIP class ticket(costs around 500) at DT's to watch KANK alone. He came out in the middle of the movie though he was with her girlfriend. Thanks for sharing "Vera Drake". Didn't even hear about this before. Blame it to my myhousewonthaveatv concept.

anumita said...

Have to watch it. But I want to watch KANK too. Can't find anyone to go with.

Anshuman said...

A very interesting intrepretation of after-effects of abortions can be found in the book Freakonomics . Check it out sometime ...