Directed by Sharon Ferranti, ‘The Tiny War of Vera Mae Noack‘ is a 2023 drama feature that stars Annalee Jeffries, Tess de la Riva and Amy Lin. Vera Mae is a small business owner who decides to risk everything when she goes up against right-wingers in her town who are harassing her friends. As threats to her business and life increase, Vera Mae must decide what course to take.
‘The Tiny War of Vera Mae Noack’ might be a reflection of modern-day America with all its complexities. The battle between left and right has become more severe in recent memory, and the film’s plot showcases its protagonist as an absolute force for good, going up against the right who are bigoted. While that may be the case, the film tries hard to make its audience care for the crusade undertaken by its protagonist, with mixed results. Vera Mae is obviously a force to be reckoned with, and in choosing to portray the opposing side with such disdain, director Sharon Ferranti might have overplayed her hand completely.
In the acting department, Annalee Jeffries does her character justice, bringing depth and poise to her character even with a shallow script. Tess de la Riva as Renee is also great, while Amy Lin as Amy Chang also manages to turn in a memorable performance. The strongest play here is the cast’s chemistry, which plays off of each others’ emotional performances. The villains are perfectly cast, and the actors portraying them are actually able to make the audience despise them.
Another great thing about the film is its cinematography. The yellowish teal works well in the context of the film, and the film does a great job of capturing the drama that unfolds inside Vera Mae’s shop. The close-ups capture the emotional conversations well, and the conflict, which is central to the film, is also framed well. Equally impressive is the sound design, and the film works well in the audiovisual aspect. However, it is in narrative pacing that the film falters a little bit. For a feature with such an explosive subject matter, it is imperative that the story does not lose momentum and director Sharon Ferranti does not manage to hold audience interest here. The film slows down in the middle, and even though much is happening on screen, it becomes hard to care about it. A bit of tighter editing could have solved this issue fairly easily.
Thus, ‘The Tiny War of Vera Mae Noack’ works in some aspects and not so much in others. Featuring strong performances and crisp cinematography, the film takes stock of the conflict in America happening today while going a little overboard with its messaging.
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