First Take: Suffragette- earning the vote of approval with ease

SYNOPSIS-

The story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

I can really understand why this film opened the BFI London Film Festival last week- this is going to go down as an iconic British film, especially as Suffragette deals with themes that haven’t been addressed on the big screen with the same dignity that Sarah Gavron’s film perfects.

Gavron has directed a very harrowing film, as it really breaks the stereotypes associated with the suffrage movement of 1910, and while the pacing is hit and miss, audiences are able to see right through that, most notably thanks to the beautiful script from Abi Morgan. Edu Grau’s cinematography is sublime throughout and Alexandre Desplat’s score is basic, but very bold and powerfully effective.

The performances are sublime, with Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter putting in some serious award-worthy performances, and with a supporting cast including Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson and a roll call of outstanding British talent both behind the camera and making cinema magic in front of it, Suffragette stands a very good chance of getting a decent box office run with the might of Spectre opening in a few weeks.

THE VERDICT

This is a tough watch at points, but I reckon Suffragette will be considered for quite a few Baftas when February arrives. It’s brutal, but bold in its storytelling, and sure, the direction is a little bit patchy- but it’s easy to get lost in the film’s narrative and look beyond that.

Smit Rating- 5/5