Maudie

What it's about:

An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.

What we thought:

In a performance that echoes her breakthrough role in Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, Hawkins embraces this fiercely independent spirit, broken body and softly-spoken soul. - Vicky Roach, Daily Telegraph (Australia)

A lead performance alive with exquisite spirit and inspiration elevates Maudie, a selective biopic of famous Canadian 'outsider' artist Maud Lewis, well above what could have been a very sketchy outcome. - Leigh Paatsch, Herald Sun (Australia)

Although the material is slight, the humanity and its universality make it cinematic, if not entirely satisfying. - Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile

With its plaintive score and bleak landscapes, it seems to unfold as slowly as a Nova Scotia winter, but it has one thunderously exciting asset in the performance of Sally Hawkins. - Brian Viner, Daily Mail (UK)

Alongside a gruffer-than-gruff Ethan Hawke as Everett, Sally Hawkins hunches and hobbles as the arthritic Maud, but this never seems too much of a stunt: what stands out is her way with Lewis's gentle stubbornness. - Edward Porter, Sunday Times (UK)