"Wicked Little Letters" is An Improved "Mean Girls"
If the title sounds like clickbait, it's because it is, but it's also not (a paradox!) Also, I talk about wicked things.
Wicked Little Letters could easily have been renamed and branded “Wicked Little Women” at another time and place and with another director. Thankfully, it’s not and that’s in large part due to the storytelling sensitivities and intentions of its director, Thea Sharrock (Me Before You, The One and Only Ivan, The Beautiful Game).
The fraught oppositional set-up of the film - two women pitted against one another - one a saintly, religious victim (think: martyr) played by Olivia Colman who is the recipient of foul, crude letters and the other, her alleged victimizer, an unorthodox, free-spirited woman (Buckley) is instead transformed into a comedic and emotionally nuanced film where appreciation and understanding of the characters are prioritized over the villain story.
Colman’s Edith Swan is a middle-aged, pious woman living with her parents. If there’s one role that felt a bit too cartoony “bad guy” it was Edith’s father (Timothy Spall), who belittles his daughter and prevents her from pursuing positive relationships that would ultimately help her assert her independence and take her out of his clutches. Her burgeoning friendship with Buckley’s Rose Gooding is one such example.
Buckley’s Rose is a single mom of a tween, living with her devoted boyfriend. She curses a ton and has an unfiltered way about her which ruffles the feathers of those living in the town, including the police, and this in turn makes her a ripe scapegoat for the letters directed at Edith. I won’t divulge any further plot details at the risk of spoiling the film. The beauty of the film lies in the relationship-oriented elements between the women, both the leads and the ensemble cast here.
As Rose’s relationship with Edith sours, she finds kinship with the other women in the neighborhood who all are unconventionally independent. These new friends remain committed to helping Rose prove her innocence against the letter-writing (and sending) crime she’s been accused of. A distrusting Rose, who isn’t very good at accepting help, and is frequently off-putting with others, softens and learns she needs these women, finding community in the process.
Of the women, the most committed to helping Rose is the reluctant “female police officer” (only funny because of how often the “female” is used by way of descriptor), Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan), herself up against a rather sexist constabulary of know-it-all men ready to undermine her. That doesn’t impede her progress though and while we get more than a whiff of the “it’s hard to be a woman” motif there’s also the sense that she’s not alone. Like Rose, Gladys benefits from this group of supportive women. She wouldn’t be able to solve the crime, otherwise.
The rivalry between Rose and Edith could have been made to be much cattier. Instead, the harboring of jealousy and shame by Edith in Colman’s capable hands, in response to her newfound attention, played out as more helpless and sorrowful, even regretful. The smattering of naughty enjoyment Edith partakes in is by way of her newfound media fame. Similarly, Rose could have been incredibly cruel to Edith, and instead, she demonstrates mature restraint in moments where she would have been well within her rights to exercise a bit of anger and pettiness. In their magnum opus scene at the end of the film, Rose and Edith look at one another with this restraint fully intact and an open acknowledgment of their circumstances - it’s the closest we get to a serious “I see you” moment in the film and it’s quite breathtaking, especially given that this film could have devolved into a petty “mean girls” plot. It’s also one of the many reasons I rate this film so highly.
In the video below, at the two-minute mark, Sharrock, the director talks about why women are mean (quoting the title here and not my personal opinion) and the hope for future generations to think differently. Give it a listen.
More “Wicked Little Letters” Reviews
Here are some my favorite “WLL” reviews that I’ve read from film and TV reviewers around the Substack universe.
talks about the phrase “Well-behaved women seldom making history” and it’s a great start to an enjoyable review. on why “WLL” is a fun movie, after all (because it is!)
Speaking of Wicked Little Things…
Check out
’s guest post on his “Top 5 Romance Films of the 80s and 90s” and then read about mine, which include two former childhood crushes.
And I’d be remiss to end a post with the word “Wicked” in its title without referencing this goodie:
What is “wicked” behavior in your opinion?
What are some of your favorite movies or songs with a “wicked” theme?*
*Some of my weekly Substack staples include music playlists and suggestions from the likes of
and who creatively infuse numbers and words into their favorites playlists and then ask readers to weigh in with their favorites. Taking inspiration from them here. Thanks guys.