Portraits of Dangerous Women (2024) – Film Review

Director: Pascal Bergamin
Cast: Tara Fitzgerald, Mark Lewis Jones, Yasmin Monet-Prince
Certificate: 15

By Elizabeth Stanforth-Sharpe

It’s always intriguing to see films that unwind as slowly as cotton from a reel, appearing to be nothing much at all in those first moments, but gently weaving into an intricate, well-thought-through pattern as the story progresses. Portraits of Dangerous Women is just such a piece.

The film opens with Steph (Jeany Sparke) and Jon (Mark Lewis Jones) driving along a quiet country road. Steph, who is behind the wheel, has her thoughts on anything but her driving. She is a teacher, filled with rage at the behind-the-scenes politics of the school system and the chaos of her life in general. Jon, her art-dealer father, is the reluctant passenger who passively listens, fearful of her erratic motoring and concerned that the exhaust may be about to drop off. There is the inevitable thud, the pair gets out to assess the damage, and from those minutiae of ordinariness, the extraordinary begins to unfold.

“Remarkable consequences”

The exhaust is surprisingly intact, but a dog lies dead on the road. Where did it come from? Who does it belong to?

The driver approaching from the other direction, Tina (Tara Fitzgerald) is the caretaker at the school Steph works in. Ashley (Yasmin Monet Prince), a collector of vernacular photography, is out walking when she witnesses the events.

Four people brought together by a deceased animal.

Sometimes those flick of a switch encounters really do lead to remarkable consequences. It may even be a dead dog that changes our perspective…

“Nuanced depth”

Comic moments, past tragedies, touching backstories, and a heart-warming resolution, begin to thread their way easily through characterisations that are wonderfully drawn and deliciously understated.

Portraits of Dangerous Women won’t make cinema history, but it is written with marked consideration and care, and the characters are portrayed with an equal respect. There’s a deep value in that. It’s worth pointing out that eight out of the 16 formidable cast members are accomplished Shakespearean actors of many years’ standing, and there is an almost Shakespearean quality to this text that uses their talents to their impeccable best.

The film is intelligent and has a nuanced depth that is well worth sitting with. Don’t expect it to punch you in the chest from the beginning, but let it steadily unfurl. Take the time to contemplate the words, implications, and song lyrics, and Portraits of Dangerous Women will reward your patience.