In Good Hands

A movie about the invention of the vibrator? That could easily be a very raunchy affair. But with U.S. director Tanya Wexler, this material was truly in good hands, as she's crafted this story in such an endearing and amusing way that it's quite a pleasure to witness this electrifying history lesson.

In 1880s London, ruled by Victorian prudery, young doctor Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is trying to find a job where he can really help people. With Dr. Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce), a doctor who specializes in so-called hysteria in women, Mortimer seems perfectly at home. For in Dalrymple's treatment, which requires manual stimulation of very intimate parts of the patients, the young doctor proves to be an extremely deft hand. He is so good at it that the number of patients is constantly increasing, which soon leads to Mortimer's hands hurting more and more. When he can no longer perform the treatment satisfactorily, it seems that not only his job but also his budding relationship with Dalrymple's daughter Emily (Felicity Jones) is over. But with the help of his friend, scientist Edmund St. John-Smythe (Rupert Everett), Mortimer comes up with an idea that could save his employment. But just as he's getting back on track, Emily's older sister Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal) threatens to throw him off track again with her straightforward and progressive lifestyle.

In Good Hands manages the feat of telling a story about sexuality and emancipation with a mix of delightfully unflashy raunchiness and charming humor, spiced with a little romance and a touch of drama. At the same time, this light comedy is in itself based on a not really funny theme. After all, the idea that certain patterns of behavior in women are due to what is known as hysteria was taken for granted for centuries. It wasn't until 1952 that it was decided by the American Psychiatric Institute that the disease hysteria did not exist. That progressive and free-thinking women like Charlotte, in particular, were often locked away because of hysteria is actually no laughing matter. But Wexler does a first-rate job of making the audience aware of the absurdity of this notion without striking too doctrinaire a tone of consternation. Rather, this very special healing method, which has undoubtedly triggered a small revolution in the love life of not only women, is celebrated for what it is: a beautiful thing, which one may well associate with joie de vivre and also humor.

But the fact that the film works is not solely due to the director and the screenplay by the couple Stephen and Jonah Lisa Dyer. The playful ensemble of actors also plays no small part in making In Good Hands such a pleasure to watch. Hugh Dancy is ideally cast as an idealistic doctor who seems caught between the strict mores of society and his passion for progress and female empowerment. Maggie Gyllenhaal seems clearly superior to him at the beginning as the self-confident Charlotte, but the more Mortimer opens up and stands by his stance, the stronger his character becomes as well, making you definitely believe the feelings they develop for each other. At the beginning Felicity Jones (Powder Girl) with her reserved, tender manner really seems like the better match for the shy doctor. But again, the film manages very expertly to move away from this attitude without portraying Emily as a victim or making her seem like a prudish bitch.

Praise must also be given to Rupert Everett, who provides some of the film's best laughs as a rich scientist. As one of the first people to own a telephone, he discovers the advantages and conveniences of telephoning during the course of the film, culminating in a very nice gag.

An amusing script, charming direction and a great ensemble cast make In Good Hands a whole lot of fun for all lovers of British cinema. And with this film, once again, it pays not to leave the cinema at the first moments of the credits. Because here you still get presented the vibrator through the ages with all its very funny names. And that is sometimes as amusing as the film itself. Absolutely worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp