Misbehaviour

Misbehaviour Story: Set in 70’s London, a group of women disrupt a beauty pageant.

Misbehaviour Review: ‘Misbehaviour’ is based on the true story of the protest by the women’s liberation movement during the 1970 Miss World pageant in London. The pageant was already facing controversy around South Africa's representation by two entrants – one black and one white. The evening was further marred before the televised contest even began but came to a head when Bob Hope (Greg Kinnear), the celebrity host, was pelted by flour bombs on stage.

The narrative revolves around various women – Keira Knightley as Sally Alexander, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Jennifer Hosten, Jessie Buckley as Jo Robinson and Lesley Manville as Dolores Hope, Bob’s wife. Sally Alexander is a recently divorced single mother, trying to make her way into University College London to study history. Keira Knightley’s portrayal perfectly captures Sally as a woman torn between her personal values and family. On the other hand, Jessie Buckley brings a firebrand quality to the rabble-rouser Jo Robinson who is willing to do whatever it takes to make her voice heard. Gugu Mbatha-Raw gives a grounded performance as an aspiring Miss Grenada, Jennifer Hosten, who sees the pageant as a launchpad for her goals and ambitions. Lesley Manville’s understated take on the long-suffering Dolores Hope is impactful in her relatively smaller role.

As Director Philippa Lowthorpe weaves these multiple storylines around each other, the overlapping narratives tend to become long drawn. While this ensures each angle is given adequate weight throughout the film, the middle act meanders as a result. Still, the climax is riveting, if not a definitive call to feminist action. The film makes you appreciate what some brave women have gone through to tackle patriarchy. More importantly, it’s easy to see how far we've come towards equal rights for women but also, how much further we still have to go.

For a film with such a compelling title, ‘Misbehaviour’ ends up being a bit too safe and crowd-pleasing. Maybe it doesn't want to alienate the male gender – ironic considering its premise. But the cast makes this a great watch, giving each character a compelling voice to remind us that some things are still worth standing up for.