Imelda Staunton's "unforgettable" British drama with Daniel Mays lands new UK streaming home

Vera Drake, the beloved 2004 period drama starring British acting royalty Imelda Staunton, has found a new home on streaming service Studiocanal Presents.

The film focuses on the titular character Vera, a sweet-natured house cleaner who strives to perform small acts of kindness for people and has a deep-seated drive to help others, performing illegal abortions for women across the city.

After one particular abortion results in a woman needing medical intervention and almost dying, Vera is arrested and forced to face the courts.

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Daniel Mays plays Vera's son Sid, while Phil Davis portrays her husband Stanley, with Eddie Marsan, Adrian Scarborough, Sally Hawkins, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Sharp, and Jim Broadbent rounding out the cast. Mike Leigh wrote the script and directed.

Vera Drake was a critical success upon its release, winning three BAFTA awards, bringing home the Golden Lion at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, and receiving three nominations at the Academy Awards.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film boasts an audience score of 84% and has a 92% fresh rating based on 152 reviews.

Rolling Stone described the film as "unmissable and unforgettable", while Cinema Sight heralded it as "a potent reminder of where society has been".

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Kansas City Star praised the film as "a brilliant character study within a detailed snapshot of a moment in English history and society, a perfectly realized environment that makes you forget this is a filmed artifice populated with actors".

Urban Cinephile described Staunton's performance as "outstanding" and "soul-baring", with Herald Sun declaring the film "a high-quality drama which lays bare one of the great moral conundrums of our time".

Vera Drake is streaming from this week on Studiocanal Presents, which can be added as a Prime Video channel to your Amazon Prime account and comes with a 7-day free trial.

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