When pious church going Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) begins receiving letters full of profane language and insults her neighbour Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley) is accused of the crime. But Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) thinks there is more to it than meets the eye and undertakes her own investigation against her superior officers wishes. 

This based on a true story tale from 1920’s Littlehampton is part quirky comedy and part drama. The comedy comes from the rather hilarious rude letters themselves and an array of British comedy actors. Whilst the drama focuses on the oppression and sexism that women faced at the time and how the country was on the verge of a change in societal outlook. 

Olivia Colman steals the show as the eldest daughter of Edward (Timothy Spall) and Victoria Swan (Gemma Jones). Her character is one that we can pity as well as despise as we see her oppressed and caged by a quietly tyrannical father but also someone who clearly sees herself as better than others because of her pious ways. Jessie Buckley on the other hand is generally a riot as the free speaking and liberated single mother who is immediately considered to be the villain of the piece. Both leads have a habit of being the most watchable aspect of any film that they are in and this is no exception. 

Amongst the supporting actors we have the police force portrayed as a bumbling boys club by Hugh Skinner and Paul Chahidi who make Police Officer Gladys Moss beside herself with their silly rules and sidelining her. And the likes of Lolly Adefope and Joanna Scanlan playing the quirky group of women that play Whist in their spare time when not helping Moss conduct a separate investigation. 

Ultimately this is a breezy 100 minute comedy filled with raucous, rude and hilarious put downs that is elevated by its two leading ladies.