by MATTHEW HAYS

Filmmaker Mike Leigh's hand can be felt early on in Vera Drake, his latest film about a sweet housewife, mother and cleaning woman who does home abortions on the side. The feature, set in conservative, repressed Britain in the '50s, offers up typically majestic performances by the cast, the kind of ensemble harmony that's extremely rare.

Vera Drake, the character, is played by Brit stage vet Imelda Staunton. Though Leigh has always staunchly denied any possibility of a sentimental streak, his Drake is a saintly woman, always looking out for others, patient to the end and only ever seems to do good. Thus the abortion scenes are rather jarring: Drake comforts various women as she methodically pumps fluid into their bodies, effectively inducing abortion. This, Leigh unsubtly reminds us, was a different time: if women found themselves "in the family way," they were screwed - especially if they were poor.

What's unusual about Vera Drake in terms of its placement within Leigh's body of work is how very straightforward it is. There are no surprises, no secrets and lies - this is perhaps his most conventional narrative. But there are the shy, awkward moments, the Brits who must survive life on the island despite their repressive underpinnings. Knowing something of Leigh's politics, it's quite clear that he supports Drake and her mission (she never charges anything for the abortions).

The closest thing to a shocker comes for the onscreen family, who are forced to adjust when they learn that mum has been involved in illegal activity for many years - something she's never let them in on. Leigh manages to maintain a steady hand during these scenes, never descending into the kind of maudlin that so many inferior directors would.

Drake is an intriguing film, but it never overwhelms. And this, of course, is not Leigh's fault. The man many consider to be the most important living British director is almost hampered by his own track record: so overwhelmed by his standouts, even when he makes an above average film, it can feel almost like a letdown.

Vera Drake opens Friday, Oct. 22

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