Ian and I just finished watching the movie Vera Drake. The movie was well done, and the lead actress turned in a strong performance. But it was just plain slow and depressing. Vera is a loving mother and wife and a maid/caretaker for several families. She also performs illegal abortions in 1950s England and eventually gets caught.

The movie deals with a serious issue and handles it well, focusing on the impact of the issue to family rather than the morality of it. It also, I thought emphasized class issues which persist in our society today. The part I liked best is the juxtaposition of the poor having an old lady perform a midwifery abortion procedure, while the rich go away for the weekend to a secluded hospital somewhere to have a much safer procedure. While I don’t want to stir up the whole debate here in this post, I strongly identify with this framing of the issue. Make it illegal, and it will still occur. It will just be done safely by trained professionals elsewhere for the rich, and by well intentioned but untrained individuals for the not so rich.

If you enjoy serious movies, catch this one, but just be ready for a downer.