So far the parallels with the Belgian film Daens (1992) are remarkable (that one is about a moment of social change in Belgium involving a priest called Daens). A smart young woman (Maud/Nette) observes hardships while working in a factory, including the brutality, including sexually, by the male supervisor. There's a government committee that will hopefully bring about change, but their hopes are dashed, resulting in an act of great police brutality. Even down to the committee members being ushered away and the policemen being on horseback. Though I must say that Daens did all this much better and I urge people to see that film. Antje de Boeck is truly amazing as Nette.

Anyway, I'm now wondering who will go to Rome for an audience with the Pope... For surely from here on the stories must diverge.

Of course Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter are very good in this. But the film seems a bit lightweight. The suffragette movement is depicted as a choice, rather than born out of desperation, especially for the rich ladies. The comparison with Daens is that there Nette was forced out of desperation to fight for social change. Here Maud almost accidentally joins the movement.