Wicked Little Letters review: a superb, sweary comedy

Wicked Little Letters takes its inspiration from a bizarre real-life scandal that rocked the English seaside town of Littlehampton in the 1920s. 

Dubbed the "Seaside Mystery" by tabloids of the time, it saw the place rocked by the "Littlehampton Letters" a series of poison-pen letters received by residents that were full of choice insults ranging from "cow" and "foxy-arsed" to things we wouldn't want to repeat here (though don't worry: you'll hear plenty of them before the credits roll).

The main recipient of the menacing missives was Edith Swan (Olivia Colman), a holier-than-thou Littlehampton resident. She's recently fallen out with her former friend and problem neighbor, Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), a rowdy Irish woman who has settled in the area and whose attitude makes her stand out like a sore thumb.

Rose is accused of being the chief suspect, and the local coppers are happy to lock her up. All except woman police officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan), who launches her own investigation to track down the real culprit despite being told to stay in her lane. 

Although it's billed as a mystery, Wicked Little Letters doesn't seem all that interested in the "mystery" of the stranger-than-fiction that inspired it. The real culprit is plain to see, and even though it finds some more hard-hitting beats  — Rose's connection to her family, or Edith trying to live within the limits set by her domineering father, Edward (Timothy Spall)  — largely, the movie plays out like an out-and-out farce, but one with fifty more f-bombs than you'd find elsewhere. Think Carry On, but if it was penned by Malcolm Tucker. 

If that sounds like your type of humor, you're in for a devilishly fun time. The whole affair functions more as a vehicle for acerbic exchanges and plenty of antics that are completely at odds with the upstanding area. If it's not typically your cup of tea, you might struggle to make it through. 

The production team deserve praise Wicked Little Letters' best asset is undoubtedly its cast. Its two leads are endlessly watchable: Olivia Colman is a proven comic talent, and she's on fine form here as a sanctimonious spinster who secretly loves the limelight. Likewise, Buckley is exuberant as Rose. Outsider though she may be, the actress brings depth to what could easily have been a one-note character in a lesser laugh-fest. They're not the only stars, either, as the supporting cast is full of great turns, with We Are Lady Parts' Anjana Vasan standing out in particular.  

My one major sticking point is the tonal imbalance at the heart of the film. As I mentioned, Jonny Sweet's script makes some nods towards issues of class and sexism in Sweet's script, but they aren't that sharp, and feel at odds with the mood of the rest of the film which otherwise leans more into the tale's comic side. 

I'd also note that, though I found the "villains" of the piece — Spall's moralizing patriarch or Skinner's clueless Constable Papperwick, for example — deeply entertaining and great fun to laugh at, some viewers may well find these characters veer too far into caricature for their tastes.

Neither of these complaints should detract from Wicked Little Letters' status as an absolute riot. From the moment that first foul-mouthed letter is read out at the Swan household, the laughs just keep on coming.

Wicked Little Letters is in UK cinemas from Friday, February 23. It's hitting select US theaters on March 29, with a wide release following on April 5.