Suffragette's greatest asset is Mulligan, who delivers a subtle yet powerful performance as Maud. Playing the audience surrogate, her character starts out as a soft-spoken pushover, but she gradually transforms into one of the movement's foremost pioneers. As a result, Suffragette can sometimes feel like it's systematically "ticking boxes," so to speak -- that is, making sure Maud is on the periphery of every major protest and rally of the time. However, it speaks to Abi Morgan's script that almost all the major set pieces -- excluding the climax, unfortunately -- are anchored by Maud and her personal struggle.
Bonham Carter and co-star Anne-Marie Duff offer additional support to the piece, and they each have their own moments to shine in this as well. Their characters also have the most informative things to say, shedding light on the lesser known aspects of the movement, but in a natural way. Little touches like, say, the hunger strike medals each woman receive after her incarceration help flesh out the time period, without Ellyn or Davison getting too expository.For her part, Meryl Streep does a fine job playing the esteemed suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. That said, her role is a glorified cameo more than anything else. Honestly, it's a little misleading on the marketing team's part to feature her so prominently in the promos and posters. Streep appears for approximately one scene (the one in the trailer) and never shows up again. Suffice to say, if the Oscar winner is a big draw for you to see the film, you might leave Suffragette feeling slightly disappointed by her limited screen time.
Ultimately, though, this is Maud's story, and Mulligan brings all the passion and determination the film needs. Meanwhile, Gavron and her production team back up the performances with a keen eye for Edwardian England, offering dynamic sets and impressive art direction. Combined, Suffragette makes up an affecting, if somewhat matter-of-fact look at an important touchstone in women's rights history.
