Maudie

There is a very sweet movie playing, Maudie, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, that I recommend for its simple story told with complexity in the acting. Maudie is plagued by what appears to be severe arthritis, and because of her physical difference, she keeps to herself. When a notice is posted on a bulletin board asking for a woman to become a man’s housekeeper, Maudie responds to the post by walking 7 miles from town to a small cabin where Everett lives. Everett doubts that Maudie is physically able to be his housekeeper, but she is tenacious and he offers her the job.

Everett is anti-social to the extreme, but Maudie’s gentle presence slowly works its way through his tough exterior and they form a bond that benefits both. When, however, Everett wants to become physically intimate, Maudie says “no.” If Everett will marry her, Maudie will grant him husbandly intimacy, but she’s too proud to be taken advantage of by a man’s basic human needs. Eventually Everett gives in and marries Maudie, and the story of their relationship takes a turn.

Maudie paints simple, colorful rustic scenes of what she sees around her. One day, a passerby stops at the cabin and offers to buy some of Maudie’s art. Maudie is shrewd and asks for $5 per painting, which the woman gladly pays. As the story evolves, Maudie’s paintings become more popular and there is even a news feature done on her and her artwork. Life for the couple settles in and moves on. Maudie’s health deteriorates, but still she paints and takes care of Everett, but surprisingly, he also takes care of her. Their story is sweet, gritty, and unnecessarily cruel, but quite engaging, and is based on the life story of a real Maudie.

I recommend this film for the older crowd because I’m not sure younger people will watch long enough for the story to emerge and grow. The acting is first-rate and really sells the story. Sally Hawkins completely catches the peculiarity of her character, Maudie, and Ethan Hawke deftly captures the frustration and isolation of his character, which is mirrored by the environment in which they live, Nova Scotia. Together, these two actors make the movie work and it is a film worth seeing.

*there is a biography of Maudie Lewis on Wikipedia that provides more details of her, her marriage to Everett, and her painting.