Playing the same person decades apart in The Lost Daughter showed the obvious chemistry between Jessie Buckley and Olivia Coleman. In Wicked Little Letters, they come together again as neighbours and enemies.
This hilarious and profanity-filled whodunit-type tale shows the feud between two seemingly opposite neighbours. Edith (Coleman), the pious, God-fearing, and obedient woman; and Rose (Buckley), the crass, blasphemous, and seemingly promiscuous type.
As this mystery gains traction, we are also introduced to Woman Constable, Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan). Yes, you read that correctly…WOMAN Constable Moss.
Although the film centres around the relationship between Edith and Rose, you can’t speak about the women in this film without including Constable Moss. They form this incredible trifecta of extreme versions of female personalities.
All three of these women throughout the film received a shocking amount of “know your role” treatment. It was fascinating yet uncomfortable to see how they were treated by men. Frankly, the male influence in this story seemed to complicate the lives of these women more than they ever should.
Wicked Little Letters serves as a good reminder that women can be many different things in one. You can’t judge a book by its cover because not everything is as it appears.
Wicked Little Letters is funny, clever and a ton of fun. It kept me guessing at who wrote the letters and who was going to solve the mystery in the end.
Wicked Little Letters is playing at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
