Maudie
Review by Myla Tosatto
You know what I like about Maudie, and therefore the main character Maud (Sally Hawkins)? She has spunk. I mean, deep down, undeniable spunk. When everything is against her, she bravely soldiers on. And she does it with a sparkling, though quiet, wit. Unable to care for herself, her brother (Zachary Bennett) leaves her with an aunt (Gabrielle Rose) who doesn’t want her. She leaves this inhospitable home for another seemingly inhospitable home of Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke) that actually turns out to offer love and acceptance. She starts out cleaning the house and then painting it (and everything else she can get her hands on) all the while having the last hilarious word. Her good humor shines through her folk art that gets noticed by a New Yorker, Sandra (Kari Matchett). This gives her the confidence to sell her paintings to the world. She becomes a very successful artist. Her customers even include Vice President Richard Nixon.
I’m going to put this on my girl power movie list. Not only does it handily pass the Bechdel Test, it is also directed by a woman, Aisling Walsh, from a script by a woman, Sherry White. I say take your artistic, fun friends to this small independent film to celebrate art and women in the cinema.
I am also going to recommend you stay for the credits. We see the real life Maud Lewis in a newsreel snippet. Her aforementioned spunk comes through. She sparkles and shines.
An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.