Summary

Wicked Little Letters is genuinely funny.
The film falls short in exploring key themes for social commentary.
The movie fails to reconcile light and dark elements into a cohesive narrative.

It doesn’t take long for Wicked Little Letters to set the tone. Within the opening few frames, a puce-faced Timothy Spall has unleashed a volley of invective that would shame a sailor, laying the groundwork for a spectacularly sweary 102 minutes. The formula of revered British thespians serving up more f-bombs than a Gordon Ramsay restaurant means that Wicked Little Letters is undeniably funny. Yet, as each diatribe utilizes ever-more inventive cursing, the movie increasingly feels like a missed opportunity.

When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues.ProsWicked Little Letters is downright hilariousThe movie has a great cast that truly deliversThe film’s excessive profanity works within the story ConsThe film falls flat when it comes to delivering on social commentaryThe story could have gone deeperIts tone isn’t always balanced

Wicked Little Letters’ Stellar Cast Thrives With Coarse Comedy
Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman are particular highlights

Wicked Little Letters is a curious blend of styles and stories. Based on the shocking true story of the Littlehampton Letters, the first act establishes a mystery about a series of insulting correspondence delivered anonymously throughout a sleepy community in post-war England. The chief suspect is Jessie Buckley’s Rose Gooding – an Irish immigrant whose brash personality frequently brings her into conflict with the town’s more conservative residents, including Olivia Colman’s deeply religious Edith Swan. On Edith’s testimony, Rose is imprisoned and castigated by the establishment. Yet, as she protests her innocence, it becomes clear there’s more to the story.

Despite being billed as a mystery, Wicked Little Letters’ strengths have little to do with the story. The real culprit behind the profane campaign is obvious from the get-go, with confirmation coming about halfway through the film. Instead, the movie succeeds thanks to the skills of its stellar cast. Jessie Buckley is electric, making Rose a likable, charismatic, and slightly dangerous presence. Likewise, Oscar-winner Olivia Colman delivers some of the movie’s most obscene language with genuine relish, made even funnier by her character’s puritanical personality.

Wicked Little Letters (2024) Director Thea Sharrock Release Date April 5, 2024 Cast Olivia Colman , Jessie Buckley , Anjana Vasan , Joanna Scanlan , Gemma Jones , Malachi Kirby , Lolly Adefope , Eileen Atkins , Timothy Spall Runtime 100 Minutes Studio(s) Film4 , Blueprint Pictures , South of the River Pictures , People Person Pictures Distributor(s) StudioCanal Writers Johnny Sweet

The movie is at its best when the ensemble cast is allowed to fully indulge in an unexpected torrent of cursing. The juxtaposition between quaint English sensibility and language that would make Joe Pesci in Goodfellas blush rarely fails to elicit a chuckle – even as it becomes increasingly clear that this is the movie’s only real joke. But while there are plenty of laughs to be had, Wicked Little Letters falls short of greatness, barely scratching the surface of what could have been a compelling social commentary – albeit with plenty of “f*cks”.

Wicked Little Letters Fails To Unpack Its Biggest Themes

The movie makes passing reference to several key themes that, if explored properly, could have elevated it beyond effective insult comedy. Anjana Vasan’s Gladys Moss, for instance, is the film’s most interesting character – negotiating the patriarchal world of law enforcement as Littlehampton’s only “woman police officer”. She could have been the perfect vehicle for the film to delve deeper into the societal hypocrisies around gender, yet it comes up frustratingly short of adding anything meaningful to the discourse, relegating Moss to pursuing suspects Scooby-Doo-style around town.

The juxtaposition between quaint English sensibility and language that would make Joe Pesci in
Goodfellas
blush rarely fails to elicit a chuckle – even as it becomes increasingly clear that this is the movie’s only real joke.

Further awkwardness comes from abrupt tonal shifts that sit uncomfortably with the movie’s cheery tone. The relationship between Timothy Spall’s Edward Swan and his daughter is so dark that it borders on horrifying. While Spall is excellent as ever, spending too long in his company transforms the film from gleeful comedy to tense psychological thriller; it’s an awkward tightrope that Wicked Little Letters never really manages to walk. Ultimately, the movie fails to uncover anything substantive about Edward’s personality, other than establishing him as a monster awkwardly skulking in the background.

In more deft hands, Wicked Little Letters could have used the Littlehampton Letters scandal as a conduit for genuinely illuminating social commentary. Compared to something like Armando Ianucci’s The Death of Stalin, the film never manages to effectively reconcile its light and dark elements. Instead of working together, these disparate components grate and jar, frustratingly failing to come together into a single cohesive narrative. The movie is still very funny. But, beyond the letters themselves and its quality cast, Wicked Little Letters falls short of true comedy greatness.