Wicked Little Letters (2024)

The film is a really effective British mystery spiked with caper comedy. Colman and Buckley make a pleasing pairing as the two leads with very different styles of openness.

An enormously entertaining period romp with a gloriously profane screenplay that allows Colman and Buckley to flex comedic talents, delivering a blast of subversive swearing in a cosy setting.

The critic calls it an unfailingly entertaining sweary Britflick with breezy pacing and a terrific cast, highlighting Colman’s enjoyment in the role and Buckley’s perfect casting as the likeable force of nature. The story is simplistic but charming overall.

Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley elevate a silly comedy about a weird true tale of defamation and dirty words. The movie is a darkly funny take leaning more toward farce than darkness.

The critic notes repetitive insults do most of the comedic heavy lifting and the film is overly quirky at times, but it fares better with drama and social commentary; Colman effortlessly elevates weaker material while Spall and Buckley are compelling.

The irreverent arthouse movie tweaks a traditionally over-polite genre with an entertaining account of a primitive form of online flame wars. It is a bawdy black comedy that isn’t nearly as “outrageous” as it would have you believe.

A perverse twist on the typical period comedy with an uneven tone and good cast performances, but it lacks consistency especially in the frantic final third.

It's a sweary but cosy period comedy that's not quite wicked enough, with fun performances and language but lacking sharpness and focus amid touched-on issues.

The film is a serviceable trifle with a great psychosexual drama lurking inside, but wastes its premise and cast with treacly comedy and a reductive approach. It delights in naughtiness but should have embraced its perversion more fully.

The shock value feels about a century too late in this occasionally amusing but ultimately worn-to-the-bone joke of a potty-mouthed period comedy. It is benignly enjoyable in its take on a true story of hidden feelings and farcical expression.

The critic describes an ultimately rather cosy tale of British eccentricity with eminently watchable stars and excellent support, but criticises erratic tone, descent into farce, and failure to fully explore deeper social issues.

The critic finds it a flimsy comic farce that squanders potential with thin material and tired humour. Colman is hampered by the overly quaint parochial tone and lack of depth.

The film tries to blend chocolate-box period drama with ornate swearing but the excessive profanity quickly becomes tiresome and fails to compensate for a thin plot and exhausted mystery.

The critic finds the swearing gimmick quickly tiresome and the film a daft, bumbling farce that fails to sustain laughs, with Colman and Buckley delivering less than stellar work overall. Spall’s performance is singled out as the sole standout.

The critic finds the film unconvincing, unfunny and heavy-handed, sidestepping any deeper insight into the real scandal in favour of broad, misjudged laughs. It wastes a strong cast despite occasional moments lifted by the actors' talent.

Thea Sharrock's film follows a real poison-pen story but doesn't have enough bite of its own, resulting in a strange true-life comedy that fails to fully capitalize on its premise and cast.

The critic finds the film a forced farce that takes a one-note farcical approach to the real-life scandal, swerving between comedy and tragedy without hitting its stride. Strong performances from Colman, Buckley, and Vasan are undermined by the strained tone and shallow feminist framing.

The swearing provides brief amusement but the paper-thin characters and obvious plot offer little else, making the central gimmick unsustainable.

The critic calls it a fantastically funny feature and a runaway British comedy of the year. They single out the joy in the profane script and the performances of the mostly female cast, particularly Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman.

A witty comedic mystery elevated by a spectacular cast led by Colman and Buckley and sharp dialogue, though the central mystery feels rushed, predictable, and underdeveloped.

Colman and Buckley deliver spirited performances in this diverting but slight trifle that is undemanding and breezy but too long for its minimal stakes. The film functions better as a whydunnit than a mystery and highlights the leads effectively.

The critic finds the film an enjoyable but uneven comedy that fails to fully deliver on its wild premise or focus amid too many themes. They single out the chemistry between Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley and the satisfying use of authentic foul language for praise.

The film offers a well-polished if tonally uneven and oddly cosy retelling of the real-life scandal, struggling with its farcical elements and heavy themes. Strong performances from Colman, Buckley and Vasan provide the main interest amid obvious plotting and mixed laughs.

A tepid and dated comedy that fails to capitalize on the strong chemistry between Colman and Buckley, relying too heavily on repetitive profanity while delivering flat direction and underdeveloped supporting characters.

The film is an absolute hoot with simple pleasures from Colman and Buckley trading insults, though the narrative holds few surprises. It showcases internalised misogyny effectively but struggles with thinly drawn male characters and an under-addressed racial element.