Movie Review: Wicked Little Letters

Although some may find the new mystery Wicked Little Letters a bit lax in actual mystery, an incredibly strong cast, led by Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley manages to elevate the film to a wickedly clever piece that makes up for its shortcomings with unabashed enthusiasm and excitement.

Based on an allegedly true story, Wicked Little Letters tells the tale of two women: Edith Swan (Colman) and Rose Gooding (Buckley) who, after Rose is accused of sending Edith and several of the town’s residents several profane letters, set about investigating the crime themselves to prove that Rose is innocent.

Director Thea Sharrock – whose previous feature work includes The One and Only Ivan (2020) and Me Before You (2016) – works from a script that was penned by Jonny Sweet, an actor who has also written scripts for several episodes of the television programs Gap Year (2017), Together (2015), and Chickens (2011). The result is a perfectly charming mix of humor and drama but remains surprisingly light in the mystery department.

The dynamic between Colman and Buckley, however, proves far too powerful to be assuaged by the film’s lack of whodunit tropes and the overall film plays as an enjoyable piece. The rest of the film’s cast turns out to be quite remarkable as well. Both Anjana Vasan as police officer Gladys Moss and Eileen Atkins as Mabel, manage to steal scenes they’re featured in giving the film a depth of character it might not have enjoyed without such a strong supporting cast.

Despite being a mystery without an overly complicated mystery to solve, Wicked Little Letters proves to be a rather entertaining frolic of a film thanks in large part to the film’s two leading ladies and the wonderful dynamic they share throughout.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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