Some young people I’ve talked to have no idea what the title means, even thought the story carries as much import as other struggles for equality. It’s set in 1912, when the movement for women’s right to vote was reaching a tipping point in London. Carey Mulligan suppresses her signature sweet smile to play a beleaguered working class woman who’s drawn into the fight to become an activist. The movie creates a bleak time with earnest detail, although the cinematography is sometimes muddy and the thick accents occasionally hinder comprehension. It’s a fascinating history lesson that builds tension and outrage, but lacks the emotional punch that could have made it masterfully moving.
(3.5 / 5)