Vera Drake is a selfless and compassionate woman who cares for her sick neighbors and elderly mother in an area of working class, 1950’s London where the struggle for basic survival is all too apparent. However, part of Vera’s personal compassion extends to helping women induce miscarriages…a practice illegal in Britain at the time. When Vera is arrested, many complicated and sometimes anguish-filled issues are brought to the fore. Vera Drake is a thoughtful and even-handed exploration into the highly-charged yet deeply personal decisions women take when confronted with an unwanted pregnancy – an issue as timely and relevant today as it was nearly a half century ago.