Irina Palm Review

A dowdy widow breaks the law to raise money, becoming successful before falling in love with a rakish man. Saving Grace? Not quite. Replace dope with hand jobs in Soho, and a profligate late husband with a sick grandson and you’ve got the X-rated version, with Marianne Faithfull in the Brenda Blethyn role as Maggie, the titular Mrs. Palm. Having smirked alluringly for decades, Faithfull is too sexy to be a convincing dowd, and the dramatic scenes cry out for Blethyn’s assured, er, hand. But it’s still rather sweet. While some scenes test credulity - when mum reveals she’s gone into sex work to save your child, the least you can do is say thank you - there’s a heartwarming quality that softens the hardcore setting.