Vera Drake

Well, I finally sat down and watched The Humming Abortionist 😛 featuring Vera Drake.

There were about thirty of us at the theater, and the whole crowd was laughing right along with the movie whenever there was a funny moment.

I actually really enjoyed it, and I’d honestly suggest that Leigh try making more of these little period pieces every now and then.
The acting was just top-notch across the board. Reg and Ethel were absolutely fantastic. I was almost moved to tears during that 'best Christmas ever' scene. And honestly, little Sally Hawkins could easily play PJ Harvey if she wanted to. 😁

What I appreciated most—if I'm being honest—is how Leigh doesn't try to take a hardline stance on such a "heated" issue (especially given how people view it here in the States). If they had, the movie probably would have just fallen into those tired formulas and predictable "necessary" scenes.

The way it's handled, everyone comes across as a good person who truly believes they are acting in the best interest of others—even the judge ended up feeling quite sympathetic, despite his harsh ruling. Yet, you still have some people complaining that Leigh is turning the characters into caricatures. 🙄
But really, that's just the system and its laws doing what they do.

Yeah, after giving it some serious thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that blueranger12 is basically a fundamentalist pro-lifer.

Richard Hernandez13 said:Yeah, after thinking about it really hard, I’ve decided blueranger12 is a total fundamentalist pro-lifer.

Uehehehe 😁 😁 God, I love you guys.

Since he said his thinking was "thorough," I took a little time to do some thinking of my own. Luckily, I'm currently in a blissful state thanks to some substances in my bloodstream.
...
I read this entire thread and I agree with my own opinions more than ever! 😁 Is it because I'm pro-life? How damn interesting!! I've always secretly loved the conservative side of myself. 😍

blueranger12 said:I've always secretly embraced my inner conservative side.😍

And you leaned into it so hard you were willing to call a perfectly good movie trash just to satisfy that political ego of yours.🙂..😁

Jose Miller17 said:It was so bad you were basically ready to call an absolutely top-tier movie trash just to feed that right-wing persona of yours🙂..😁

Yeah, I'm embarrassed😍

blueranger12 said:Yeah, I'm embarrassed. 😍

Well, since you're already feeling awkward, I'll be in Washington, D.C. for the next few days. Maybe we can hit up a museum together... I'll even walk you to the door.😁😁

Jose Miller17 said:Look, if you're feeling self-conscious, I'll be in Washington, D.C. for the next four or five days. We can go to the curator together... I'll even walk you right to the door.😁😁

Oh no, I won't even be in Washington, D.C. next week.😵 That's my last chance to actually dare to step foot in that place—that den of grease and sweat.😢 Where am I supposed to find any courage if not from friends who'll push me inside and laugh at the villain?😢 😁

blueranger12 said:Well, great. I’m out of town next week. 😵 There goes my last chance to actually step foot in that sweatbox. 😢 How am I supposed to find the nerve if I don't have a group of friends to shove me through the door while they laugh at my misery? 😢 😁

..if you've already reached rock bottom, 186 miles you might as well walk in there even if you're sobbing. 🙂 😁

Jose Miller17 said:..if I've already gone 186 miles all the way, she should just come inside even if she's crying 🙂 😁

That would be a pretty messed up sight 😁 It would totally ruin the mood. There's that song... what is it called? The one that goes "Sex is much Better When The hooker is crying" 😁 Like that stupid band, "The roof is on fire, the roof, the roof.."

blueranger12 said:That would be a pretty twisted sight.😁 It’d totally kill the vibe inside. There’s that one song... what do they call it? "Sex is much Better When The hooker is crying."😁 Like that mindless band singing "The roof is on fire, the roof, the roof..."

🤣...so you see, he’d actually be setting the mood... people might even pay to have you back next time...😁😁

Honestly, all you really need is a good cup of tea.

Right?

Hop up on the bed, honey. Just a little soapy water.
Would you like a cup of tea, dear? 😁

I’m not exactly a huge fan of Mika Leigh; I feel like her work leans a bit too heavily into caricature. While Naked and Working Girls are absolutely stellar, I found Secrets and Lies to be rather mediocre (it feels like Brenda Blethyn is practically parodying herself there). Abigail's party is hilarious despite the stereotypical characters, whereas Life is sweet is just a painful, difficult watch.
As for Vera Drake, I’ve only ever watched bits and pieces of it, and I suspect I’ll keep it that way.

I’m feeling pretty torn about this whole thing.

To me, the tea that 😉Vera Drake
was pushing so hard felt kind of mid... honestly.😕 I can't shake that vibe.

I ended up watching about half the film in its entirety, even if it was just on a small screen—including that pregnant socialite who mysteriously vanishes later on.
It’s actually quite good. I was worried it would turn into one of those "issue movies" filled with endless, repetitive questions, but Mike Leigh handled it beautifully, bringing such genuine empathy and warmth to the characters.

...Good grief, how did you even find me 😍

...I'm completely defenseless against Leigh's sarcasm—and then Daniel Mays 😍 shows up just to twist the knife...

...but honestly, I should probably just shut up before someone turns this into another one of those long-winded essays 😳