I had a feeling this would be a slow, quiet film, and it is. It’s probably not to everyone’s taste for that reason, but it does carry a positive message about perseverance. The movie is based on the true story of Maud Dowley (Sally Hawkins), a simple, shy Nova Scotia woman who makes a major life change after her home is sold out from under her. Despite everyone’s fears that she’s not mentally up to the challenge, she takes a job as a maid in the tiny rural home of Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke), a gruff and blunt-spoken peddler of fish and wood. To soften her hours of solitude, Maud picks up a brush and fills the home’s walls and windows with painted flowers, trees and birds.
She develops crippling arthritis over the years, and just holding a paintbrush is difficult. But a relationship blossoms with her tough-skinned employer, who learns her secrets, puts up with the flowers and birds and realizes he needs her as much as she needs her painting. Soon Maud puts out a shingle and gains local fame for her simple, colorful images. The film is plagued by an issue I see often these days—the actors mumble through much of the dialogue, making viewers wonder what important points they’re missing. Otherwise it is well acted by Hawkins and Hawke, who prove that seemingly incompatible personalities can reach a level of love and understanding.
Should you see it? Yes, it’s an uplifting story.