Vera Drake

Wife.  Mother. Criminal.ProductInformationIn Vera Drake Imelda Staunton gives an award-winning performance asthe title character a devoted wife and mother in 1950s England. Unbeknownst to her family Vera secretly helps womenterminate unwanted pregnancies.  When she is arrested herentire world unravels leading to a very dramatic emotional conclusion.Specifications Stars:  Imelda Staunton JimBroadbent Heather Craney Format:  Color DVD Language:  English Subtitles:  English Spanish Rating:  R Number of Discs: 1 Run Time:  125 minutes Directed By:  Mike Leigh

The brilliant writer-director Mike Leigh (Topsy-Turvy, Secrets and Lies, Naked) has crafted an utterly compelling movie about one of the most controversial of topics. An irrepressibly hopeful housecleaner in 1950s London named Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton, Antonia and Jane, Shakespeare in Love) mothers everyone around her, from her own family to helpless shut-ins and lonely men living in tiny, isolated apartments. None of these people know that Vera also helps young women get rid of unwanted pregnancies, until the police appear and tear her world apart. Vera Drake isn't just an inspired character portrait; through simple and straightforward scenes, the movie weaves a quiet but mesmerizing portrait of how people--both wealthy and poor--cope with adversity. Though wrenching, Vera Drake has too much life to be depressing. Leigh is deservedly famous for his work with actors; every character brims with truth and Staunton's performance deserves every award it could possibly win. --Bret Fetzer