The key to understanding the character of Vera Drake is "dear". Vera is one of the kindest souls one has seen in pictures in a long, long time. Vera Drake is a woman who will go out of her way to be of use to anyone that needs her. In fact, one's initial reaction to Mrs. Drake's activities is of complete disbelief.
Mike Leigh has created a film that, although not easy to sit through, is one of the finest movies to have come out of the English cinema in a long time. He keeps getting better with every new film. The subject of the film is something that has been at the heart of the recent elections in the USA. With the new climate in this country it's easy to see that situations like the ones we see in the story, could well be the norm here in a not too distant future.
The main, and perhaps the only, reason for watching this extraordinary film is the portrayal of Vera by that wonderful actress, Imelda Staunton. Her character is an example of a person who can't refuse anyone in need. There is a scene when the police confront Vera during a dinner at her house where we see her face as charges are hurled at her, and then little by little, Ms. Staunton breaks down in what is one of the great moments in acting by any actress in recent memory. One can see her eyes fill with tears because it suddenly dawns on Vera the immensity of what she has done.
The action takes place in 1950 in a London still ravaged by the effect of WWII. The film recreates the era with great details. Vera's flat is so tiny, one wonders how four people live in such cramped quarters. Though they are poor, the Drake household is happy, as they all live together without getting on each other's nerves. Both children, Ethel and Sid, are well behaved; they love their parents. Stan and Vera love one another in a subdued, but caring way. Is it possible that Vera could be the monster she is accused of being?
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