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MADE IN DAGENHAM Nigel Cole Starring Sally Hawkins Bob Hoskins Miranda Richardson Daniel Mays Richard Schiff Dagn'm. Alright? Let's just get that out of the way right now. I realise it is spelled Dag-en-ham but every Londoner knows it is pronounced Dagn'm. Just needed to get that out of my system. Set to the backdrop of the Ford factory in East London, circa 1968, Made In Dagenham follows Rita O'Grady [Hawkins] from her initial appointment as representative for the female machinists to the eventual drafting of the Equal Pay Act of 1970. With various working class Unions striking across the country, the women feel their rebanding as 'unskilled workers' is insufficient reason to be given a fraction of male pay. One opportunity to meet with Ford representatives opens up and Rita is invited, by the extremely affable Albert Passingam [Hoskins], to come along and chip in. During the meeting she witnesses her Union rep, Monty Taylor (played rather well by Kenneth Cranham) wheeling-and-dealing with the Ford officials and speaks out in protest. Following this brief meeting she is elevated by her colleagues and quickly seen all over the country speaking about women's right to equal pay. Naturally this sparks interest with Ford's headquarters in Michigan, US, who send a representative (Robert Tooley [Shiff]) to lean on the supervisors, the Unions and even the Government. As a tale of injustice and blatant sexual discrimination, it's a far tamer affair. The issues are all clearly presented and argued but it's never rammed down your throat. By that I simply mean that if you happen to read another review which states this is little more than militant feminist ravings - as I'm sure you may - they could not be further than the truth. The arguments never go overboard, the screaming is kept civil and the points are evident; much like a heavily nostalgic artistic protest. However, this also serves as a detriment because despite the incredible production levels and attention to detail, something feels just a tad off. The conflicts and the consequences are certainly real enough and portrayed diligently by the cast but despite all this, there's something incredibly spritely and optimistic about it all. Difficult to explain but audiences are going to be divided between those who feel like is little more than an unnecessary battle-cry and those who genuinely enjoy this tale. But putting that aside, this movie's actual problem is the pacing issue. Lasting just under two hours but with the weight of over, everything picks up quickly, launching you into the first strike well within the opening third before sifting around idly before rolling to its eventual conclusion. I'm not entirely sure this couldn't be avoided, solely for the subject matter but it certainly doesn't work in the film's favour. Whatever flaws can be found in the general flow of this film, little negativity can be directed toward the acting base. Each character has a distinct personality and every cast member delivers a wholly engrossing performance. Sally Hawkins has come a long way from Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky - a film which I found inherently annoying, largely due to its blindly upbeat nature. Here, Hawkins manages to really command a decent performance, offering us a very real look at an ordinary woman with a great weight of responsibility suddenly forced upon her. In addition to this, Miranda Richardson's presence as Barbara Castle is incredibly amusing and highly entertaining. On top of that, the editing is exceptionally praiseworthy, as is the overall direction. All-in-all, Made In Dagenham is a reasonably paced, light-hearted battle of the sexes that delivers a well-crafted, performance-heavy, story. Release Date: 1st October 2010 The Scene To Look Out For: It may sound like a minor moment but as Rita is heading out the door, off to the picket line, rallying up and down the country, we witness the disarray and chaos in a family flat run by a man. Like the majority of the film, this is jovially played out for the most part, culminating in the humorously tragic line, "This is my last shirt . . I've only just noticed." As I said, minor moment but it's things like this that truly sell this release. Notable Characters: As stated above, this film relies heavily upon the performances. The story itself is a little straightforward and oh-so-very predictable but you commit to it for the sake of the characters. As stated, Hawkins delivers a standout performance to be proud of, as does Richardson but even individuals like Jaime Winstone, Daniel Mays and Rosamund Pike produce something of incredible note. If this film makes any money at all, it will be down to this vital element. Highlighted Quote: "How will we cope? We're women. Don't ask such stupid questions" In A Few Words: "A nice little nostalgia trip with a big heart but severely suffers over pacing issues" Total Score: 
7/10Matthew Stogdon |
