*****May Contain Spoilers***** This heart-warming and humorous drama screened at TIFF this year and I was lucky enough to see this premiere, and this film stars Dame Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Mare Winningham, & Michelle Fairley. "Philomena" comes to us from director Stephen Frears, and he has been a very successful director for a very long time with films the likes of "The Queen" & "High Fidelity" going all the way back to "The Grifters" & "Dangerous Liaisons".
This tale tells of a woman in her mid to late 60's named Philomena, and she is and has been in search of her long lost son for many years. As a young teenager she got into trouble and gave birth to a baby boy out of wedlock. Now in a last chance effort for Philomena she contacts a disgraced journalist to enlist his help in finding her son. This writer is Martin Sixsmith and he is coincidently very much in need of something in his life at this moment, and together he and Philomena embark on a journey of parental heartache while tackling new frontiers within themselves.
Well people I will start by saying that director Stephen Frears has picked up right where he left off with "The Queen". He seemed to have struggled here and there for a few years, but he is at the top of his game for the second time in the last two attempts. This filmmaker has created drama that is compelling, laugh out loud funny, and solidly entertaining all at the same time, and his direction unfolds the story in a smooth and even manner. Frears knows exactly when and where to be serious, he knows when to lighten the story, and most of all he always keeps the film interesting. There is a plot reveal in the beginning of the second act and it really could've dampened the mood and tone of "Philomena", but instead this director constantly takes us into fresh and enjoyable territory.
The screenplay is delivered by star Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope and together they have countless television writing credits to their names, but I am totally shocked at just how fulfilling a feature film that they have crafted with "Philomena". These screenwriters consistently fill this film with doses of wit and charm, but those moments surround a very interesting and investigating tale. They have created a story full of rich and full characters, and these characters deliver their lines brilliantly. The spoken dialogue is out-and-out bold at times, and even some of the humorous lines had quite an edge to them. On top of all of this the movie is very touching and sincere, and you'd better bring a box of Kleenex when you see this because many were weeping all around me. People will be crying for moments both happy and sad as the tale plays out, but the entire movie will resonate with most people for a while after the end credits have stopped rolling.
This takes me to the driving force of this feature, and that would be to stars Judi Dench & Steve Coogan. Dame Judi Dench delivers to us a wonderful turn on the silver screen, and her performance is quite unique because few can find the line between warm, cordial, and direct all in the same film. She very much sheds her usual hard edge in favor a lovely and humane role. She opens the audience up to a motherly love and passion for finding a child that has been long since gone, and at the same time she swears and brings a blunt truthfulness to many scenes throughout the movie.
Then Steve Coogan trades in his usual straight comedic portrayal and instead gives us what I would say is his best work on the big screen to date. His work as Martin Sixsmith is a wonderful slice of drama, and his combination of serious & light humor couldn't have worked more brilliantly. Coogan must have had a real passion for this project because he serves as screenwriter and producer as well as star, and you can see that passion when you're watching the end result. He is a character that is maturing into a new spot in his life, and to me as an actor he has accomplished the exact same thing.
Now together Dench & Coogan are quite a character all their own, and the brilliant banter between them was definitely the motor that drove this story. "Philomena" thrives on the great and constant confrontations between Martin and his older counterpart, and these two performers actually get the best acting out of each other. The more that they are together in the film the better the movie gets, and as the film plays on they both learn and grow as people because of their interaction together. Just like "Midnight Run" this movie doesn't work without both the ying and the yang, and would have fallen apart without cooperation.
At right around 1 hour and 40 minutes "Philomena" was nothing short of a bright shining jewel of a film. This is one of the most moving and pleasantly constructed features that I have seen all year, and I could easily sit through this one again when it gets a wide push across the country. The two lead characters work so incredibly well together that they should consider working with each other more often. If you are a Judi Dench fan this movie is a must-see, if you are a Steve Coogan fan this is a must-see, and if you are a fan of truly great movies then this feature is for you as well. This movie is absolute perfection & that's why Nick's Reel Screen Review is a perfect 4 stars out of 4, and that's for one of the year's best in "Philomena".
This tale tells of a woman in her mid to late 60's named Philomena, and she is and has been in search of her long lost son for many years. As a young teenager she got into trouble and gave birth to a baby boy out of wedlock. Now in a last chance effort for Philomena she contacts a disgraced journalist to enlist his help in finding her son. This writer is Martin Sixsmith and he is coincidently very much in need of something in his life at this moment, and together he and Philomena embark on a journey of parental heartache while tackling new frontiers within themselves.
Well people I will start by saying that director Stephen Frears has picked up right where he left off with "The Queen". He seemed to have struggled here and there for a few years, but he is at the top of his game for the second time in the last two attempts. This filmmaker has created drama that is compelling, laugh out loud funny, and solidly entertaining all at the same time, and his direction unfolds the story in a smooth and even manner. Frears knows exactly when and where to be serious, he knows when to lighten the story, and most of all he always keeps the film interesting. There is a plot reveal in the beginning of the second act and it really could've dampened the mood and tone of "Philomena", but instead this director constantly takes us into fresh and enjoyable territory.
The screenplay is delivered by star Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope and together they have countless television writing credits to their names, but I am totally shocked at just how fulfilling a feature film that they have crafted with "Philomena". These screenwriters consistently fill this film with doses of wit and charm, but those moments surround a very interesting and investigating tale. They have created a story full of rich and full characters, and these characters deliver their lines brilliantly. The spoken dialogue is out-and-out bold at times, and even some of the humorous lines had quite an edge to them. On top of all of this the movie is very touching and sincere, and you'd better bring a box of Kleenex when you see this because many were weeping all around me. People will be crying for moments both happy and sad as the tale plays out, but the entire movie will resonate with most people for a while after the end credits have stopped rolling.
This takes me to the driving force of this feature, and that would be to stars Judi Dench & Steve Coogan. Dame Judi Dench delivers to us a wonderful turn on the silver screen, and her performance is quite unique because few can find the line between warm, cordial, and direct all in the same film. She very much sheds her usual hard edge in favor a lovely and humane role. She opens the audience up to a motherly love and passion for finding a child that has been long since gone, and at the same time she swears and brings a blunt truthfulness to many scenes throughout the movie.
Then Steve Coogan trades in his usual straight comedic portrayal and instead gives us what I would say is his best work on the big screen to date. His work as Martin Sixsmith is a wonderful slice of drama, and his combination of serious & light humor couldn't have worked more brilliantly. Coogan must have had a real passion for this project because he serves as screenwriter and producer as well as star, and you can see that passion when you're watching the end result. He is a character that is maturing into a new spot in his life, and to me as an actor he has accomplished the exact same thing.
Now together Dench & Coogan are quite a character all their own, and the brilliant banter between them was definitely the motor that drove this story. "Philomena" thrives on the great and constant confrontations between Martin and his older counterpart, and these two performers actually get the best acting out of each other. The more that they are together in the film the better the movie gets, and as the film plays on they both learn and grow as people because of their interaction together. Just like "Midnight Run" this movie doesn't work without both the ying and the yang, and would have fallen apart without cooperation.
At right around 1 hour and 40 minutes "Philomena" was nothing short of a bright shining jewel of a film. This is one of the most moving and pleasantly constructed features that I have seen all year, and I could easily sit through this one again when it gets a wide push across the country. The two lead characters work so incredibly well together that they should consider working with each other more often. If you are a Judi Dench fan this movie is a must-see, if you are a Steve Coogan fan this is a must-see, and if you are a fan of truly great movies then this feature is for you as well. This movie is absolute perfection & that's why Nick's Reel Screen Review is a perfect 4 stars out of 4, and that's for one of the year's best in "Philomena".