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.
We first meet Maud Lewis (Sally Hawkins), a smart, vibrant woman living with arthritis and struggling to stay independent, in the late 1930s amid vast Nova Scotia landscapes, picturesquely lit by cinematographer Guy Godfree. To break free from her overbearing family, Maud responds to an ad for a live-in maid, placed by grouchy hermit Everett (Ethan Hawke), who lives in a tiny box of a house and runs a business selling fish. These odd outcasts aren’t exactly a match made in heaven on paper, yet they form a unique, loving companionship over time. Maud wears down Everett’s grumpiness, painting naive happy murals of the countryside on the walls of their shack. Her art – colourful flowers, cats and chickens – grabs the attention of sophisticated New Yorker Sandra (Kari Matchett), who commissions Maud to make work for her. The artist’s fame grows, reaching far beyond the confines of their small world. ‘Maudie’ will break your heart with its infectious positivity and an outstanding, big-hearted performance by Sally Hawkins as the self-taught artist.
UK 2016 Aisling Walsh 115m
