Wicked Little Letters

April 19 – 23

7 pm nightly
1:30 Sunday Matinée
2023 – Comedy / Mystery
14A — 1h 41m

Wicked Little Letters, a new film directed by Thea Sharrock with a very funny script by Jonny Sweet, is based on a tempest-in-a-teapot news story from 1918-1920, a local scandal which made national headlines in England. Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), an Irish woman with a small daughter, moved to the small seaside community of Littlehampton, and struck up a friendship with her next-door neighbor, Edith Swan (Olivia Colman), a middle-aged woman living with her parents. Soon, Edith began receiving anonymous letters, filled with obscene language, calling her all sorts of horrible names. For reasons unknown Edith accused Rose. There was a trial, and Rose ended up doing multiple jail stints, one involving hard labor. But then a female police officer started her own investigation. Rose was eventually released and is cleared of all charges.

It should come as no surprise that Wicked Little Letters can win over the most stone-cold heart. The historical comedy smoothly finds its footing thanks to a beautiful blending of heartfelt performances and a savvy script. What Sharrock and the writer, comedian Jonny Sweet, do well is translate the story in a way that maintains all of its raucous humor while also highlighting the ways in which it exposes the misogyny that women lived through in this time period.

It’s the true tale of a foul-mouthed scribbler in 1920s Sussex –  given nuance by a stellar cast including Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan and Timothy Spall What’s interesting is the film’s concentration in the nasty impulses behind many bullying campaigns, the pettiness, the sheer silliness and what-is-the-point-ness of it all. It’s impossible to avoid the feeling that the finger was pointed at Rose Gooding because she committed the unforgivable sin of enjoying her life. How dare she?