Abortion is one of the most pressing issues of our time, even if it is merely a social one. Well, it should be a social one,
but certain special interest groups and the most amazingly intelligent President ever in the history of the United States (note sarcasm) have turned it into a moral and even constitutional battle. Personally, I consider the mess we''ve made of the world, Social Security, education and discrimination against gays more important, but obviously not everyone agrees.
Sorry, this review has already turned into a political spiel, so let''s get to the movie. "Vera Drake" is not directly about abortion. It''s about one woman who performs back alley abortions and is put on trial for it. Director Mike Leigh ("Topsy-Turvy") never specifically addresses the really tough issues at hand, but for all you pro-lifers out there, you should be warned - Vera Drake is portrayed in a very positive light, even if she does make mistakes. The movie is about the consequences of her actions rather than the actions themselves; she is a nice woman who believes she is doing the right thing, but the law says otherwise. Her crimes devastate her family and friends, as well as herself.
The message I see in this film is Leigh''s attempt to tell the world what would happen if abortion is banned once again. For President Bush, pushing to deny women the right to choose will appeal to his so-called "moral" constituents (Which I think is a bunch of B.S.), but will the ban actually help? No. Instead, we will just return to the days of "Vera Drake," where abortions have to be carried out in secret without the help of doctors and proper medical equipment. Furthermore, people just wanting to do what they believe is right will be put in prison, even if they don''t intend to harm people and those very same people ask for their help. In what democracy should something like this be illegal?