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FILM REVIEW A vibrant Mulligan brings historic struggle to life in ‘Suffragette’ Review by JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer First the bad news: “Suffragette” isn’t a Meryl Streep movie, despite what you may have seen in the trailer. She has but a few moments of screen time. And now the good news: It’s a Carey Mulligan movie. Mulligan, like Streep, is simply a mesmerizing ac- tress, one who can make even pedestrian material sing with the honesty, so- phistication and nuance she brings to every role, on screen or stage (count your- self eternally lucky if you caught her recent Broadway run in “Skylight.”) In “Suf- fragette,” which without her would be a far, far less com- pelling movie, she doesn’t merely entertain us with her skill. She brings to vibrant life an important part of our global history that’s easy to forget — the struggle for a woman’s right to vote. The story of the “suffrag- ettes” in early 20th century Britain may bring to mind the joyously daffy Mrs. Banks singing “Sister Suffragette” in “Mary Poppins.” But even though that character spoke jovially of women chain- 5 $ ing themselves to wheels or being carried off to prison, “Suffragette” reminds us that the ¿ght involved violence, hunger strikes, bombings, beatings, even death. Though the movie, di- rected by Sarah Gavron, includes real-life characters like Emmeline Pankhurst (Streep) and Emily Wilding Davison (Natalie Press), who both have tiny but cru- cial roles, its main character is an amalgam. Maud Watts (Mulligan) is a 24-year-old mother who spends her days working in the same fetid laundry — awful chemicals, brutal hours, sexual abuse from the boss — where her own mother labored. Almost accidentally, Maud falls in with a group of women activists whose fight for the vote is gaining steam — and desperation. A fellow laundry worker is due to testify before a govern- ment committee on the is- sue, but a beating has left her unable to appear, and Maud is drafted. (“Are you a suf- fragette now?” her husband asks, suspiciously.) Her sim- ple, heartfelt answers move the male lawmakers, but the measure fails. When that de- feat is announced publicly, it leads to a melee in which women are beaten by police and dragged to prison, Maud among them. Her furious husband (Ben Whishaw) insists that Maud never “shame” him like this again. (Like virtually every male character here, he is wholly unenlightened.) But soon enough, Maud is com- pelled to go hear a speech from the movement’s lead- er, Pankhurst, who speaks briefly from a balcony be- fore fleeing the police. Maud manages a quick word with Pankhurst as she’s hurrying off: “Never surrender,” the elder woman says. And so Maud doesn’t. She returns home to discov- er her husband has kicked her out, banning her from seeing their 4-year-old son. She finds quarters with fel- low suffragettes and be- comes more emboldened by the day. She attacks her abu- sive boss. Facing the police inspector (Brendan Gleeson) who pursues her like Javert pursues Valjean in “Les Mis- erables,” she tells him that the suffragettes are waging war because it’s “the only language men listen to.” Mulligan — whose por- trayal is really the only tru- ly nuanced one in the film, though Helena Bonham Carter gives fine support as a fellow warrior — finds a way to project determina- tion and zeal but also sad- ness and hopelessness, all at once. The scene where she loses custody of her son is truly wrenching. As is the scene where she’s force-fed in prison to thwart her hun- ger strike. The film ends with a rec- reation of a shocking, sem- inal moment in the suffrag- ette movement — one best not revealed here. And then, during credits, we’re given a list of countries across the globe, along with the year they granted women the right to vote. (France: 1944. Switzerland: 1971. Saudi Arabia: “Promised.”) If any- thing, “Suffragette” should have an impact the next time any of us are feeling too busy or tired to vote. “Suffragette,” a Focus Fea- tures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Asso- ciation of America for “some intense violence, thematic elements, brief strong lan- guage and partial nudity.” Running time: 106 minutes. Three stars out of four. GALLON AVAILABLE AT 3 LOCATIONS Freshly Harvested Cranberries FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS LATE SEPT THRU EARLY NOV THE FARM 113TH & SANDRIDGE ROAD • LONG BEACH 49TH & PACIFIC HIGHWAY • SEAVIEW PACIFIC HIGHWAY • CHINOOK 20 | October 29, 2015 | coastweekend.com Pla ying toda y’s hit country Photos by Steffan Hill/Focus Features via AP In this image released by Focus Features, Carey Mulligan portrays Maud Watts, center, in a scene from “Suffragette.” In this image released by Focus Features, Helena Bonham Carter portrays Edith Ellyn, center, in a scene from “Suffragette.” Crossword Answer V I C A O R E C W E R E T I I S I T S E T S E U R U P D O E Y E O S S O L T T O A R M S U P T O N A T H G H O S L O R O E T R A L E A V E S L E E R A W D A T A F L I N G A T L E A S T S R O L O G O O M T A D N E A L I I L R A O H N B U A S R A B L E I F F Y B L O W O N V O U S L E V N P I E C O O T N O B L I T Z S S W E S I N S T O N E A V E R L P H T G I N G M M A O I T P O N H L D E D I G G Q U A S S C M T E R K E O N A R E N R A C K C A G A L A G E N E D U E S T E E R A P P H E E T R I N O H R O E R I N D A T E U E T S E P A N G R I L Y P R I M A C H Y U M O P P H T I O O N N T H T E A D I L M P L Y O L I E O A L S Y A M E S L I P S S T I C E S T A A M P F E E I E N S S E L P S N A I L D I N E D U D R A P S I N V E N S A G E S L G O T