Netflix Is About To Lose One Of Imelda Staunton’s Most Acclaimed Performances… And This 92% Rotten Tomatoes Drama Has Just A Few Weeks Left. Set in 1950s London, Vera Drake follows a seemingly ordinary woman hiding a secret that could destroy everything around her. Winner of the Golden Lion at Venice and a BAFTA-winning performance from Staunton, the powerful British drama has continued to earn praise for its emotional storytelling and unforgettable lead. But the clock is ticking — Vera Drake is scheduled to leave Netflix on October 16. One acclaimed performance. One deeply affecting story. One last chance to watch it on Netflix.

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Imelda Staunton’s Acclaimed Vera Drake Is Leaving Netflix Soon

Netflix viewers have only a limited time left to catch one of Imelda Staunton’s most acclaimed performances.

Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake, the 2004 British period drama about a working-class woman secretly helping women obtain illegal abortions in 1950s London, is currently streaming on Netflix but is scheduled to leave the platform on October 16, 2026.

Starring Staunton alongside Daniel Mays, Jim Broadbent and Lesley Manville, the 125-minute drama has remained highly regarded more than two decades after its release. It currently holds a 92% Tomatometer score from 159 critics on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside an 84% audience score from more than 10,000 ratings.

Film of the week: Vera Drake | Movies | The Guardian

A seemingly ordinary woman with a hidden life

Set in London in 1950, the film centres on Vera Drake, a cheerful working-class housekeeper devoted to her family and always willing to help those around her.

But Vera has a secret that even her loved ones do not know about. She quietly performs abortions for women facing unwanted pregnancies and refuses to accept payment.

Vera believes she is helping women who have nowhere else to turn. But abortion was illegal in Britain at the time, and the consequences of her actions eventually bring her carefully separated worlds crashing together.

Leigh uses that conflict to explore Vera’s character and the difficult moral questions surrounding her actions, while keeping the focus firmly on the people whose lives are changed by what happens.

imelda staunton, vera drake

Imelda Staunton at the centre of an acclaimed ensemble

Staunton leads the film as Vera, with Daniel Mays playing her husband, Sid Drake.

The supporting cast includes Phil Davis, Eddie Marsan, Adrian Scarborough, Sally Hawkins, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Sharp, Jim Broadbent and Lesley Manville.

The ensemble is central to the film’s intimate approach. Rather than treating Vera’s story in isolation, Vera Drake spends considerable time with her family and the people whose lives become connected to her secret.

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film runs for 125 minutes and was released in 2004.

imelda staunton, daniel mays, vera drake

A major success at Venice

The film’s reputation was established early, with Vera Drake premiering at the 61st Venice International Film Festival.

It went on to win the festival’s Golden Lion for Best Film, while Staunton received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance.

The recognition continued during awards season. Staunton won the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role, while Leigh took home the BAFTA for Best Director. Staunton also received the European Film Award for Best Actress.

At the Academy Awards, Staunton received a nomination for Best Actress, while Leigh was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Watch Vera Drake | Netflix

Critics continue to rate the film highly

More than 20 years after its release, Vera Drake continues to have a strong critical reputation.

Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the film at 92% from 159 critic reviews, with an 84% audience score from more than 10,000 ratings. The site’s critics consensus specifically highlights Staunton’s powerful performance and the humanity Leigh brings to the film’s controversial subject.

Critics have also praised Leigh’s attention to the family’s relationships and the film’s restrained approach to its difficult subject matter.

Film Comment described the movie as “wonderfully subtle and relentlessly harrowing,” while other reviews have highlighted the detail in its character work and family scenes.

That careful approach is particularly important to the film’s depiction of 1950s Britain. Vera’s actions take place within a period when abortion was illegal, making the legal and social consequences an unavoidable part of her story.

Vera Drake (2004) - IMDb

When is Vera Drake leaving Netflix?

According to the original Netflix listing reported for the film, Vera Drake is scheduled to leave the service on October 16, 2026.

For viewers who have yet to see Mike Leigh’s acclaimed drama, that leaves a limited window to watch the film on Netflix and revisit the performance that earned Imelda Staunton major honours at Venice, the European Film Awards and the BAFTAs.

With its 1950s setting, acclaimed ensemble and Staunton’s award-winning central performance, Vera Drake remains a notable piece of British period cinema — and one worth catching before it disappears from Netflix.