Suffragette

THE GIST: In 1912 London, the women fighting for the right to vote have reached the conclusion that peaceful protests will achieve nothing. Mistreated and lied to by employers, the police, and politicians, they step up their activism with civil disobedience and unrest, even resorting to bombings and hunger strikes in order to achieve their goal.

Although dramatized, Suffragette is based on historical accounts and records, and tells the stories of women who actually fought in the streets to push the government to give them the right to vote, and as such it's most certainly a worthy film.

The superb cast includes Carey Mulligan, Amanda Lawrence, Ben Whishaw, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, and the wonderful Meryl Streep.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I always feel like it's important to watch historical dramas, because they teach us about the past and what it took to arrive where we are now.

Grade: 7