Ladies in Black - A Movie Review

Never let sentiment interfere with business.

Ladies in Black is a 2018 film. Set in Sydney, Australia in 1959, Lesley gets a job in a deluxe department store. As the women chatter about their lives and romances, they discover new opportunities and connections.

Ladies in Black is a charming story that weaves a coming-of-age tale with romance. While the film masterfully captures the essence of the era and a poignant message about individuality, it could have implemented one story instead of padding the runtime with repetitive stories with secondary characters.

This role was meant for Angourie Rice who is incredible. Rice has built her own character type, but she has shown that she is versatile. At the heart of the narrative is Lesley, a young and ambitious girl, navigating her way through an upscale department store. Her character is very relatable.

As Lesley discovers more of herself, some of her decisions don’t match her character. She changed her name to Lisa just because her co-workers liked it better. That’s what’s so great about her character. We have all been in Lesley’s place at one point in our lives.

A terrific women's ensemble led Ladies in Black. We always need women-led stories. More credits include Julia Ormond, Rachael Taylor, and Alison McGirr. The actresses had believable chemistry. Their interactions are a good example of co-worker relationships. Even in these settings, look out for yourself.

Relationships with your boss play a pivotal role. While I was fond of the developing friendship, I didn’t like how her boss resorted to changing Lesley’s physical appearance. Lesley becomes more confident, but, I think she should have stood up for herself more.

The family dynamic between Lesley and her parents was dictated well. I loved the celebration dance Lesley and her mother (Susie Porter) did. While her father (Shane Jacobson) is somewhat absentminded, he never ignores his daughter.

Bruce Beresford successfully transforms the film into the spirit of the 1950s. For the department store, scenes were filmed (apparently in one day) in the David Jones building right before it was renovated. Clothes have an important role. There’s a lot to appreciate in the world of fashion. Retail workers will find this film relatable.

I enjoyed this movie as a whole, but the storylines for the secondary characters are drawn out. Centered on romance, they don’t add a unique touch. Patty has communication issues with her husband who leaves without telling her anything while Fay has a successful courtship with a respectable man.

I am not saying that these storylines are purposeless, they could have embodied more dramatic tellings. I was waiting for Patty to tell her aloof husband to leave. The film would have benefitted from a more balanced exploration of these characters, providing a deeper understanding of their lives and aspirations.

The richness of their individual stories could have added more layers to the film's overall narrative. For a story in the 50s era, things come about for the women too easily, particularly for Leslie.

Lesley needed a stronger lesson about her actions. I know that her character's name is ‘Lisa’ in the credits, but this is the one part of the film that I don’t like. Lesley shouldn’t have been so quick to accept a new name from her co-workers and boss like that. Additionally, the name change upset her mother, but Lesley pays no mind to her mother’s feelings.

This film has several relatable themes about guiding your way and advocating for personal freedom. Just don’t stray too far from yourself. You must watch Ladies in Black. It’s a wonderful film.