'Portraits of Dangerous Women' Review: Delightfully Charming and Fun
- Becca Johnson
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - June 5, 2025
Directed by Pascal Bergamin, Portraits of Dangerous Women is a quirky comedy starring Tara Fitzgerald (The King), Mark Lewis Jones (Chernobyl), Yasmin Monet Prince (Boxing Day) and Jeany Spark (Black Mirror: The National Anthem).
What is 'Portrait of Dangerous Women' about?
The plot surrounds a bored teacher, a bold caretaker, a passionate art dealer and a young maverick who wind up meeting through a bizarre road accident. At first, they don’t seem to have much in common, but they soon develop a genuine interest in each other, and as their pasts unravel, they forge odd alliances and friendships.
Delightfully charming and fun with plenty of heartfelt moments filtered throughout, Portraits of Dangerous Women is a well-acted exploration of friendship, that won’t suit all audiences due to its offbeat nature.
It takes a while to find your footing with Portraits of Dangerous Women. Offbeat and quirky from the start, the stilted conversations, odd characters and blunt delivery of the comedy take a little time to get accustomed to. However, the further the run-time plays out, the easier it is to become completely invested in these characters lives and their intertwining stories.
All four leads receive fantastic development, and the bonds they develop with one another are incredibly likable. Our characters are natural, real and feel lived in, all doing seemingly mundane jobs and living ordinary lives - this undeniably helps us connect with them. The comedy is never laugh-out-loud, more so awkward and sarcastic, but it works a treat and is nearly always effective. It’s unapologetically British in the best way possible, and though the delivery won’t work for everybody, the right audience will find a lot to like in here, from its odd but lovable script to its equally mundane yet complex characters. The film is a blend of conversations and interactions rather than having a plot with a straightforward through-line, which will work a treat for some whilst leaving much to be desired for others.
The performances really help sell these characters and their bond, and are impressive across the board. Playing our bold caretaker Tina is Tara Fitzgerald, who really comes out of her shell as the runtime progresses. When we first meet her, she comes across as shy and lonely, so forming a bond with these characters helps her in more ways than one. Our bored teacher Steph is helmed by Jeany Spark, who shows a lot of range in her performance as her character learns many lessons about life and love. Spark is the outright funniest of the bunch, delivering her direct humour with flawless ease. Yasmin Monet Prince plays our young maverick Ashley with real punch and sincerity, making her angsty vibe feel completely natural. Finally, our art dealer Jon is played by the very talented Mark Lewis Jones, who has a natural ability to ground the wacky film and add a level of maturity and normality to it. Stuck in his ways at the start, and attending parties and having fun by the end, his arc is just as meaningful as the women’s. All four members of our central group are likable, and the chemistry put forward by our actors is fantastic. By watching them undertake their day jobs, meet for a drink and party, we get to know each and every one of them in a naturalistic way, and watching their friendship blossom feels rewarding. Sometimes the simplest of stories and performances are the most effective.
Though Portraits of Dangerous Women does well to balance the funny with the heartfelt, and has many scenes that help our characters grow and develop, it will also be considered by many as a film in which ‘nothing happens’. Those who enjoy dialogue driven films may even find some sequences meander, and a fair few of its scenes do feel dull, especially around the start when our characters are not yet well acquainted. Whilst some viewers find watching characters in their natural habitat helps them get to know them, others will simply find it boring, and it teeters on the edge of this more than once. The blunt, bumbling nature of the movie, though completely purposefully done, has the capacity to make the script feel disjointed and clumsy, especially with its blunt style of humour than sometimes feels unnatural. There’s only so far its offbeat quirks can take it, and for many, it may come across as more tiresome than endearing.
Portraits of Dangerous Women is a fun indie flick with standout, impressive performances that make it deserve the viewing. If you’re a fan of unconventional, dialogue driven movies about people just living life, it’s worth a whirl, but if you like something a little more traditional and plot-driven, it’s unlikely to work. Still, the blunt humour, human script and emphasis on the importance of friendship is tied together perfectly by a score that matches the tone of the movie effortlessly, making Portraits of Dangerous Women a solid yet unusual flick that you don’t see very often.
'Portraits of Dangerous Women' releases on digital platforms July 11
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