It's unfortunate that a film like Suffragette doesn't feel like a time capsule look at a bygone era, but instead remains as timely as ever. Gender equality in all aspects of life, from equal pay to healthcare rights to career advancement, continues to be an issue, but the fight goes on mainly because of the women portrayed in Suffragette, who put it all on the line to earn the right to vote.
Starring Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, with direction by Sarah Gavron from an Abi Morgan (Shame) script, there's Oscar-worthy talent all over this one. The story follows the women of the U.K. suffrage movement, including heroes like Emmeline Pankhurst and Edith New. Here's the synopsis:
The stirring story centers on Maud (played by Carey Mulligan), a working wife and mother whose life is forever changed when she is secretly recruited to join the U.K.’s growing suffragette movement. Galvanized by the outlaw fugitive Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep), Maud becomes an activist for the cause alongside women from all walks of life. When increasingly aggressive police action forces Maud and her dedicated fellow suffragettes underground, they engage in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the authorities, who are shocked as the women’s civil disobedience escalates and sparks debate across the nation. Inspired by true events, SUFFRAGETTE is a moving drama exploring the passion and heartbreak of those who risked all they had for women’s right to vote – their jobs, their homes, their children, and even their lives.
Suffragette opens October 23rd in limited release.
