advertisement

'Suffragette' offers strong performances, muddled tale

Director Sarah Gavron had a choice of protagonists for "Suffragette," her dramatically inert tribute to the early 20th century political movement pushing to give British women the power to vote.

1) The real Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep), the movement's underground leader, considered Public Enemy No. 1 by British authorities who treat her as if she's a terrorist.

2) The real Emily Wilding Davison (Natalie Press), an activist who martyrs herself by stepping in front of King George V's horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913, spurring headlines around the world for her cause.

3) The fictional Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), a composite of working class suffragettes.

Who would be the best heroine? Gavron tells screenwriter Abi Morgan in press notes, "I think the more interesting character is Maud."

Mulligan does provide the drama's most nuanced performance, much more than Streep, who you'll completely miss if you blink twice.

Press creates the movie's biggest dramatic moment, yet her character has been so marginalized that her sacrifice fails to register its proper, devastating impact.

To be fair, Mulligan's Maud loses her home, husband and young son to politics, but the repercussions heaped on this poor woman (including sexual harassment from her laundry plant supervisor) start to feel forced for effect.

Plus, Maud's a bit on the tepid side to carry a movie about the women's fight for equality, self-actualization and freedom, especially in the company of more decisive, fiery leaders such as Edith Ellyn (Helena Bonham Carter), a chemist and self-proclaimed "soldier."

"Suffragette" offers up heartfelt speeches, noble intentions, interesting historical details and exquisite production designs (any Charles Dickens story would be at home here). Yet, this movie embraces conventionality at the expense of the urgency, the passion and the power that its subject matter demands.

“Suffragette”

. .

Opens at the River East 21 and Century Centre in Chicago, plus the Evanston Century 12. Opens wide in the suburbs Nov. 6. Rated PG-13 for language, partial nudity, violence. 106 minutes.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.