“Wicked Little Letters” narrates the bizarre tale of several foul-mouthed anonymous letters that began terrorizing the small British town of Littlehampton in the 1920s. Against all odds, what might seem like a contrived, ridiculous story is almost entirely true. It is brought to life in a new comedy designed as a star vehicle for actors Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley. The Oscar-nominated duo gives spirited performances in a diverting little trifle that isn’t especially illuminating but is an undemanding watch.
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Edith Swan (Colman) is a dowdy middle-aged spinster, overtly pious and Christian, who still lives with her overbearing parents, played by Timothy Spall and Gemma Jones. One day, she starts receiving several nasty letters, comprised primarily of four-letter insults and other vile abuses. The letters are anonymous, but the Swans point the finger at their bohemian neighbor, free-spirited Rose Gooding (Buckley). Rose is living-in with a man, swears often, and generally behaves in a manner unbecoming of women in the 1920s. She’s an easy target and is promptly arrested by the police. But soon, doubts emerge about whether she is the real culprit. Junior police officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) doggedly sets about trying to unravel the mystery — against the wishes of her superiors.
Remarkably, Swan, Gooding, and Moss are indeed all real people, as documented at length in Christopher Hilliard’s 2017 non-fiction book “The Littlehampton Libels: A Miscarriage of Justice and a Mystery about Words in 1920s England”. British comedian Jonny Sweet wrote the screenplay and chose to structure the story as a whodunnit — though, honestly, the solution is obvious within minutes. Like in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” films or TV’s “Columbo,” Sweet wisely places the reveal part of the way through, and the rest of “Wicked Little Letters” functions as a whydunnit, which is a much more interesting way to frame this particular story.
Even with the real-life nature of the narrative, this is decidedly a minor tale with minimal stakes. The film sticks to its breezy tone throughout, but even at 102 minutes, it is too long for the slight material. Too many supporting characters are added as ornamentation without deepening the story or giving those performers significant room to shine. It is mainly the Colman and Buckley show, and the talented actresses do not disappoint. Initially, both seem to be playing archetypes — retiring and simpering for Colman and bold and brash for Buckley. But as the film progresses, both can add dimension and depth, creating nicely shaded women.
In the spirit of inclusion, the film has color-blind casting and casts people of color in prominent roles in 1920s England without referencing their race even once. Among them are the judge presiding over Gooding’s trial, Gooding’s boyfriend Bill (Malachi Kirby), and Vasan — amusingly referred to by her full title throughout the film — Woman Police Officer Moss. Vasan, in fact, is the third lead alongside Colman and Buckley, and the role is a breakout showcase for her— displaying her comedic chops as well as smarts as she becomes the primary detective figure in the story.
Director Thea Sharrock’s work behind the camera is solid and unvarnished, and the tech credits are generally serviceable. The set design and costumes have the quiet competence of countless British productions — achieving believable period verisimilitude on modest budgets. In one unfortunate faux pas, composer Isobel Waller-Bridge’s score (yes, that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sister) shockingly pilfers Howard Shore’s score for Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” almost note for note several times during the film right from the opening moments — enough to take you out of the film. Temp-track love has been a problem in movie scoring for quite some time, but this is an especially egregious example. Elsewhere, Colman makes her producing debut in this film, matching several other A-list actresses who have begun producing their own movies and developing their own material. She produces alongside her husband, Ed Sinclair, and three different producers.
The film takes a child-like delight in the joys of swearing; this is basically George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words The Movie. It will also join the ranks of “The King’s Speech” and “Gosford Park” as a genteel British period piece to get an R-rating solely due to language. Regardless, it should find an interested audience based explicitly on Colman’s name recognition. [B-]
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