Overview:
The acting was not exquisite but it was very good. Mulligan brilliantly portrayed all the doubts, fears and dilemmas Maud went through. Also, it was good seeing Helena Bonham Carter in a character other than the extravagant usual ones she depicts. It was a reminder that she’s in fact a deeper actress than what we usually see in blockbuster movies.
On the other hand, despite it being clear from the start that Meryl Streep was not in the lead role, one would expect more of her; she barely showed up for less than ten minutes.
The tragic ending is glorified with the acceptance of women’s suffrage but to a cost. It is clear that “deeds not words” were needed in order to achieve it but the escalating violence does makes you wonder where we must draw the line between fighting for our rights and fighting in spite of someone else’s rights.
Review by Stephanie Johnson