Peterloo (2018)

Peterloo: Directed by Mike Leigh. With Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley, David Moorst. The story of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre where British forces attacked a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester.

“An interesting look at a little portrayed period of English history. Yes, the climax is harrowing, as it should be, but the lead up to it is engaging, using a series of interesting characters, back stories and even a little humour. The sets and costumes are accurate and theyu0026#39;ve been true to the accents, giving it an overall realistic feel and giving us an intriguing window into the period. I do like a historical drama and I would say that this delivers, contrasting Waterloo against the the terrible event to come, class against class and friend against friend. Some people have commented that itu0026#39;s a little too long but it didnu0026#39;t feel that way to me. There were some great scenes and dialogue woven into the story, such as the individual courtroom tales, giving a taste of just how harsh the period was and how badly the working class were treated, as well as the polar opposite Prince Regent frames, all of which are tinged with humour and just the right amount of the dramatic character acting along the way. Overall, Iu0026#39;d say itu0026#39;s a well done, atmospheric portrayal of the period and events, with a really good cast. Entertaining and educational.”