Set in the repressed and repressive Britain of 1950, director Mike Leigh's drama hinges on a stunning, Bafta-winning lead performance from Imelda Staunton. She plays an altruistic but naive cleaning lady who secretly helps out unfortunate girls by performing backstreet abortions. But when her actions are discovered, the law - and, at first, her own family - reprimands her severely. Staunton is nothing less than superb, conveying a world of misery with the merest of looks. Equally fine are the support performances (especially Phil Davis as her husband, Stan), plus Leigh's impeccable re-creation of both place and period. If there's one small criticism to be made of the film, it's perhaps a touch too relentlessly dark and dour. Otherwise, this is as good, if as grim, as it gets.

Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the mores of 1950s Britain – a conflict that leads to tragedy for her family.